Love at second sight
by Sarcastic Proserpine
Summary: Sasuke is an assasin who works for a secret organisation and is ordered to kill the Kazekage of the Sand and his wife, but is in for a suprise when he finds out who the wife is! SasXHin, slight GaaXHin first story..
1. Chapter 1

**Love at second sight.**

**Summary: **Sasuke is a assassin who works for a secret organisation and is ordered to kill the Kazekage of the Sand and his wife, but is in for a surprise when he finds out who the wife of the Kazekage is. Main couple is SasXHin

**A/N: Wow! I can actually call myself an author now! And I can even do the A/N thingie! grins **

**Well, this is my first fic, so I hope you like it. There will probably be a lot of grammatical errors, but that's because English isn't my first language. It's Dutch, actually. ****I've never done this fanfiction-writing before, so if you have advice for me, spill it out! I'd really appreciate it. Of course is constructive criticism allowed, but please no flames! I really do my best, y'know? Don't like it, don't read it. Reads the A/N memo Sorry, I talk too much! --' Please go on and begin with the story:)**

"Talking"

'Thinking'

_dreaming_

**Rated:** I guess it's T for now!

**Disclaimer: **Nope. Don't own a thing... sobs

**Pairing: **It's SasXHin for now, maybe more pairings later

**Chapter 1.**

'Two years… Two fucking years since I have seen her, since I have hold her in my arms. Two years since the accident that ripped her away from me... I want to see her again, hold her again, smell her again…She smelled like lavender and green tea. Why has this happened to us? We were happy, we were perfect for each other, until that dreadful day came…

I still hate the old hag for it, _she _was the one who sent us on that mission. I would fucking kill her if I could, but I can't, for she is the hokage of the village I no longer live… Konoha.

I still remember that day, the day when her life ended, the day when I was once again left alone.

_Flashback_

"Uchiha, Hyuuga, you may come in now. The Hokage is expecting you."

Hinata looked at me before she nodded to the guard, while she wore that trademark soft smile of hers. The same smile I fell for, and still loved. "Hai," we both answered. We got up to our feet and walked into the office. Tsunade looked up from her paperwork, a bottle of sake standing beside her. I groaned inwardly. God, the woman really was an alcoholic! And **this **was the one who's supposed to be the leader of Konoha?

'Yeah, we probably make a great portrait of a strong and disciplined village to others…' I thought sarcastically.

"Ah! Uchiha, Hyuuga, come on in and sit down, please. You're just the people I needed." Tsunade gestured us to sit down.

"Good morning, Tsunade-sama..." Hinata softly greeted and bowed, before she sat down. I groaned a hello before I sat down as well.

"Good morning to you too," Tsunade greeted, before her face was back to her somewhat grim expression.

"Listen, I haven't got much time, so I'll explain this quickly. I have a mission for you two. You have to go to the Land of the Waterfall and look for any possible hints that point into the direction of a war…Lately it's been quite turbulent there, and there are rumours that the Sound is planning to add the country to their army. If it soon comes to a war with the Sound, we will need every alliance we can get, and we can't use any more enemies then we already have. Shizune will hand over a scroll later, with all the details."

She gestured with one hand to the woman in the corner, who nodded friendly, before she continued.

"When you have returned, I want a full report from the both of you."

Tsunade looked to Hinata and me, her expression still grim, but it held a slightly worried tone now too.

"This is a dangerous mission; you'll probably meet many enemies on your path, so please be careful and come back as soon as possible. Leave within three hours. You may go now. "

Hinata got up from her chair and bowed. She walked over to Shizune and accepted the scroll while murmuring a small "Arigatou, Shizune-san," and turned, waiting for me to come as well. Slowly I stood up, bowed a little in the direction of Tsunade who was alredy drinking again and grabbed Hinata's hand, signalling that I wanted to get out of there. I still held my stoic expression and walked straight to the exit ignoring everybody else, while Hinata nodded friendly to the guards, who nodded back as well.

We both walked out of the building, once we were outside I let go of her hand and kissed her. Hinata seemed a bit shocked, her milky white eyes widened a little, but responded. After a while I broke apart and smirked at her blushing face.

"Alright, go packing, little one."

She looked up at me, smiling, her face still held a tinge of red.

"Hai, Sasuke-kun. I'll see you in a bit."

She walked away, while waving a little. I followed her with my eyes, until she was out of sight, before I walked to my apartment as well.

I finished packing rather quickly and decided to inform the dobe that I would be on a mission for a while. After closing the door and finishing a certain technique to keep those damn fangirls out of my apartment (they kept coming, goddamnit!), I made my way to Ichiraku's and spotted the dobe miles away, happily eating with Sakura.

Once Sakura saw me, she nudged Naruto and called: "Ohayo, Sasuke-kun! What brings you here? I thought you didn't like ramen? Or do you now, since you are with Hinata-chan?"

I seated myself next to the dobe as I scowled. "No, I still don't like the stuff, it's disgusting."

"Hey! Sasuke-teme, don't insult my ramen! It isn't disgusting at all, it's Kami's gift to the humans!" Naruto informed, while he drooled over his chicken flavoured- ramen (A/N: Yeah, let's just say Sasuke has a very good smell…).

I looked at the slimy stuff, then at the dobe's facial expression, and decided to not press the issue further. A discussion with Naruto was just downright impossible.

"I just came here to say that I'm going on a mission with Hinata, so you won't see me for a week or so," I informed them, while I shot an icy glare to a couple of girls in the corner who were looking my way. "Ah, what kind of mission is it? An assassination mission or something?" Sakura asked, while Naruto ordered his fourth bowl of ramen.

"No, we must gather information and see if there are possible hints for a war. That's all. I'm going now. Sayonara."

I nodded to the both of them and left. Sakura waved at me and the dobe grinned a goodbye.

I hadn't much time left, so I got my stuff and headed to the gates. Hinata was already waiting. I smirked. Never too late, another trade mark from Hinata.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun," she greeted in her soft voice. I looked at her, something was troubling her. She smiled, but her eyes held sadness. I decided to wait for her to tell it, I didn't want to pressure her. It had probably something to do with her father. She was very fragile, but even more vulnerable when it came to family-business.

"Ohayo, Hinata-chan," I responded. I only added the suffix to her name when we were alone. Not that I was ashamed or so, but it was something that was just between the two of us.

"Shall we leaving?" Hinata was already jumping in the trees, as though she really couldn't wait. Well, I couldn't blame her, she just wanted to get away from her strict father. I met the guy once, and already I didn't like him. He was a bastard.

I nodded to Hinata, and followed.

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Slightly panting we heave ourselves against the trunk of a large tree, and just sit there for a while. We have travelled for a day and a night now, and already are in the Taki no Kuni (A/N: means 'Land of the Waterfall'). Although the people weren't exactly friendly, we hadn't found any clues for a possible war. I get the scroll out of Hinata's backpack and read it again.

I'm still reading when I feel someone carefully lean against my shoulder.

"S-Sasuke-k-kun?"

"Hn?" 'She only stutters when she's nervous. Has it something to do with what I saw earlier in her eyes?' I ask myself inwardly.

"Y-You know th-th-that I l-like you, r-right?"

"Hn."

W-well, uhm, I told my f-father that I-I like y-you, and h-he wasn't v-very h-happy with it…"

I scowl. That bastard! He better didn't do something to her.

"Did he hurt you?"

"W-well, no, not physically, b-but he said t-that Sabaku no Gaara a-asked for my h-hand, and that h-he arranged a m-marriage with h-h-him…" Her voice broke, she was crying now.

"I s-said I d-didn't w-want to marry G-Gaara-san, b-but he t-told me th-that there alrea-d-dy was a c-contract, a-and that if I-I wanted t-to keep the p-peace betw-between Suna and K-Konoha, I needed to m-marry h-him… I-I-I don't kn-know what t-to do…"

I keep my face stoic, but on the inside I am raging. That son of a bitch arranged a marriage between Hinata and that sand-creep?! No fucking way, she was staying here, with me!

I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her against my chest.

"Don't cry, Hinata-chan… I will do anything to keep you in Konoha, with me… Don't worry, I…."

I stop talking, and listen carefully. Something isn't right. There is no wind and I thought I heard some leafs rustle. I activate my Sharingan and signal for Hinata to activate her Kekkai genkai as well. I hear her silently turn her Byakugan on and wait if she sees something.

A soft gasp confirmes what I already thought.

"I-I see five, coming this way. They're f-from Sound, look very strong…I think they're Tokubetsu nin…" (A/N: Nin between the rank of Chuunin and Jounin)

Hinata looks up at me, a trace of fear shown in her eyes.

"I don't know if we can handle f-five of them, S-Sasuke-kun…" I kiss her forehead before we both stand up, and position ourselves.

"Hinata, don't worry. We can." I smirk confidently. 'Tsch, already sending nins after us? They're definitely up to something…'

A couple of kunai are thrown in our direction, we both dodge them and throw kunai back ourselves to where they had come from. A shrill cry is heard. I smirk. One down, four to go.

Soon they are there, and one of them directly attacks me with a ninjutsu:

"Fūton: Daitoppa!"

An explosion of wind comes my way, I barely dodge it while I jump in the air, turn my body and pump chakra in my feet; I kick the guy in the stomach, which sends him backwards. He smashes into a tree, and lays still; blood trickling down his chin.

'Two down, three to go,' I think and grin: Is this everything they got? I expected a lot more…

I turn around and see Hinata: she is fighting with two others. 'That leaves one more...'

But as soon as I think that, I feel pain course through my body.

"Shit!"

I'm hit with a shuriken. I turn around while I get the damn thing out of my shoulder. 'Fuck, that hurts...'

The one who had thrown the shuriken stands behind me, smirking.

"You didn't see that one coming? How weak…. But what else can you expect from Konoha nins? At least the girl fights with her eyes open…"

"You're dead meat." I growl, and immediately plan something.

I throw a kunai at him, which he dodges. But while he dodges, I throw more kunai, which are connected with a cord. The guy laughs. "This is it? I'm sooo scared!"

I smirk. "You underestimate me…"

Soon the guy notes he is imprisoned and makes a couple of hand seals, but he's too late:

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!" A large stream of flames bursts it's way along the cord to the Sound nin, and soon his silhouette has disappeared. When the flames are extinguished, a body lays motionless on the ground, smoke coming off of it: the guy is roasted.

I look if I can help Hinata, she's now using her Hakke Rokujūyon Shō, knocking her opponent down. But out of the corner of my eye, I see the last Sound nin approach her.

I run to Hinata, but the Sound nin beats me and uses Gōken: in slow-motion I see Hinata falling, blood coming out of her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

"NO! HINATA!" 'I can't believe my eyes, This isn't happening!'

With eyes full of hate I turn to the nin who did that to Hinata. He stands there laughing.

"Awww, what a shame! And she was so cute!"

With my Sharingan blazing, I use my final technique.

"Chidori!"

The sound of chirping birds rises, louder and louder, while my hand glows with chakra. I run forward and throw my fist in the stomach of the Sound nin. His eyes bulge out, blood spurts out of his nose, mouth and ears. He falls backwards, and coughs out more blood. His eyes roll back and his breathing stops.

Heavily panting I turn to Hinata, who lays very still, eyes closed. I fall on my knees at her side and carefully lay her head on my lap, while brushing away a few strands of raven hair out of her face. I feel her shivering and hold her in my arms as if she were a porcelain doll.

She slowly opens her eyes. "S-Sasuke-kun…?"

I caress her bloodied cheek. "Don't speak, I'll take you to the hospital…"

She closes her eyes again, a soft smile on her lips.

"Arigatou, Sasuke-kun, aishiteru…"

Her pulse becomes very slow, I panick.

"Hinata? Hinata! Stay awake!"

"It's all right, Sasuke-kun…It's... all right…"

I hold her in my arms, a single tear rolls down my cheek.

'She's leaving me. She can't leave me. She can't!

She can't….

She can't…'

_End Flashback_

After that, I brougt her to a hospital close by. Soon her father came, along with Neji.

They screamed at me for letting her die and forced me out of the hospital.

I have never seen Hinata again, for her family wouldn't let me. Everybody assumed it was my fault, and I did nothing to change their minds. I couldn't care less. I had enough. Hinata was probably dead, and I was alone, once again.

Soon after the incident I left Konoha. I wandered around for a couple of days and then, in a bar where I was drowning my grief, I met Kenji Yokohama, leader of a assasin organisation.

He asked me if I wanted to become an assasin, and I said yes. After all, I had no life anymore. I had no feelings anymore. I had no love anymore. So why not? Sounds like a perfect murderer to me….'

**End of chapter one**

**A/N: ****Phew! That was a hell of a flashback! o0 **

**Well, this was chapter one! I hope you liked it, it's not too long, right? And, yeah, Sasuke is a little OOC in this story… but we'll survive! The fighting scenes were probably not that great, but I'm not very long familiar with Naruto, so I hope it's good enough! Kenji Yokohama is my own character by the way, among other own characters, but he won't play a very big role in this story.**

**I haven't finished this story yet, so if you've got advice, or if you have a request (more couples? NarXSak for example?) or just something to say, please review! I like it:D**

**I'll update as soon as I can, it's vacation now, so I have a lot of time. But after the vacation I won't have a lot of free time, so I can't update very much then.**

**Well, hope you all had a fun Christmas, and I wish you a smashing new year!**

**I hope it's going to snow…**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: All right, so this is chapter two! Hope you like it:D**

**I've got already one review, thank you so much ShadowOwl!**

**Ah, before I forget it: Sasuke, Gaara and Hinata are 19, 19 and 18 years old in this story.**

**Chapter two.**

_A dark-haired girl wandered around, completely disorientated. It was dark, the kind of dark in which you are almost completely frozen. _

'_Where am I? What is this place? Am I alone?'_

_Suddenly she saw light, very bright and shining like a star. She began to run in the direction of the light, only to be stopped when she saw that it didn't came any closer. _

'_Why can't I reach it?' The girl asked herself sadly, she was shocked when something, or rather someone, actually answered her._

"_You can't reach the light until you remember it again…"_

_The girl was shocked. "What do I have to remember then?" she asked no one in particular. _

"_Remember me." Suddenly there was a face in the dark, a very handsome but sad face of a man, not older than 19 years. He has raven hair, and eyes black as ebony. He looked vaguely familiar, but the girl couldn't replace him. Who was he?_

"_Just remember me, Hinata…"_

Eyelids fluttered open, white eyes stared at the ceiling. Hyuuga Hinata was awake, but very confused.

"What a strange dream…" she said softly.

"You can say that again, you were talking and tossing in your sleep…" a monotonous voice said.

Hinata jumped, she didn't realize someone else was in the room too!

"A-ah gomen, Gaara-kun…I didn't realize you were here too…" she turned to the red-haired man, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He smiled a little.

"I've noticed… Did you have a nightmare?"

"Ah… no, no nightmare. But it was a rather weird dream, though…"

"What was it about?"

"W-well, I was alone in the dark, and I saw light. I ran to it, but it didn't come any closer… And suddenly there was a voice, which said I had to remember something… And then I saw a face of a guy, he looked familiar, but I couldn't recognize him… Do you think it's someone from my past?"

Hinata looked up, to Gaara's face, and she saw that he was slightly distressed. His lime-green eyes showed a trace of worry, although you could hardly see it.

"Is s-something wrong, Gaara-kun?"

His head snapped up, as if he were in a trance before.

"No, nothing's wrong… Go get dressed, Hinata-chan. Temari's waiting for you downstairs."

Gaara bent down and gave Hinata a peck on the lips. Hinata's blush flared up, and she murmured an "All right, Gaara-kun," before he gave her one last look and walked out of the room.

Hinata thought it was strange that he didn't answer her question, but she decided to say nothing about it anymore. It was just a dream, right?

She got out of bed, opened her window, and sniffed the morning air of Suna.

She smiled lightly.

Almost two years she lived here now, and she loved everything that it held. The dessert, the people, the animals and the plants, and of course… her husband, the Kazekage of Suna!

She could clearly remember when he proposed to her, after her accident, in which she lost partially her memory.

_Flashback_

"Ah! Hinata-sama, you are awake…" A young man with long ebony hair in a loose ponytail walks up to me.

"Ano… Gomennassai, but… who are you?" I really didn't recognize the guy.

He looks at me strangely. "Hinata-sama, it's me! Neji! Your cousin!"

I look at him sadly. "Gomen… I can't remember anything… Do you know what has happened to me?" Eagerly I look him in the eyes, maybe he knows why I'm here, in this strange place!

Before he can answer, two more men come into my room. One looks a bit like that Neji-person, he has the same eyes and haircolor. The other one wears a white coat, the doctor I presume. The latter speaks up.

"Good afternoon, Hyuuga-sama, I'm Kazuya Yamazaki, your doctor. You probably want to know why you're here?"

He seems friendly enough. I nod a yes.

"Well, you had an… accident, and you lost your memory. What is the last thing you can remember?"

All three men look at me, I am slightly embarrassed.

"I-I don't know… I can't remember a th-thing, except for my name…H-Hinata Hyuuga. He (I point to that Neji-guy) s-says he's my cousin, b-but I don't even kn-know him!"

I'm on the verge of tears now. Why can't I remember a single thing? I want to remember!

"It's all right, Hyuuga-sama, it'll all come back. For now, you must rest. If it helps you, he really is your cousin. And this here is your father." Kazuya gestures to the man beside him, who looks a bit scary. Unconsciously I pull the blankets a little higher.

"H-hello, father…"

He says nothing, just looks at me and then turns around and walks out of the room. Confused I look from my so-called fathers retreating back, to Neji, who sighs. Kazuya excuses himself and goes after my father.

"Don't worry, Hinata-sama, he's relieved that you're still alive, it's just that… he doesn't show his emotions often."

"Was he always like this?" I whisper. I just don't understand why my father didn't seem happy to see me.

"He was, and still is…But there's nothing to worry, I stay here with you."

I smile at him, he seems nice. "C-could you please tell me w-where I am, how long I slept, a-and what exactly has h-happened?"

"Well, you had a accident, and you became unconscious. We brought you to the hospital, and you've been here for two weeks now."

"A-ah, that long…? And where…"

I stop, and look at the doorway: it seems another person has arrived. A red-haired, more-scary-looking-than-my-father person this time, with the kanji for 'love' carved on his forehead.

I turn to Neji to ask who this guy is, but I'm cut off when I see Neji is glaring daggers to the person.

"Hinata-san."

My head turns to the person again, who is looking directly at me. His eyes lock with mine. I find his gaze enchanting, and keep staring back. Our bond is broken as Neji speaks.

"You better not hurt her, Sabaku."

The man looks at Neji now, irritation clearly shown in his light-green eyes.

"Actually, I was planning to ask her if she wants to marry me, Hyuuga…"

My mouth falls open, he said WHAT? The guy looks at me again.

"Hinata-san, you probably don't know who I am anymore. I am Sabaku no Gaara, Kazakage of Suna. Before your accident, I asked your father as well if I could marry you. He gave his permission. Now I want to ask your acceptation as well. Please, marry me."

Well, this is awkward. Barely five minutes awake, and I am already proposed, by a Kazekage nonetheless!

"I-I…I d-don't know w-what to s-say…" I stammer. What normal person could answer a question like this, asked by someone he/she can't remember anymore? I certainly can't.

"It's all right, Hinata-san… I understand it, and I'll give you time… but please think about it."

And then, in a gush of sand, he is gone. Just like that. I sit there, completely bewildered.

Neji and I probably think the same thing: 'what was that all about?!'

I have to admit, he was handsome. Very handsome, actually. And although he was quite mysterious, he seemed… nice, in some sort of way. But I don't think Neji agrees with me here, because I can practically smell the smoke that is coming out of his ears.

"What the hell is he thinking?! Just came here and….."

Neji is interrupted by my father, who has come back from his little walk.

"Neji, be quiet. I think it's wise if Hinata accepts the offer from Sabaku-san."

Oh, crap. He heard.

_End Flashback_

Hinata laughed softly. 'I think that that must have been the weirdest way someone's ever been proposed. But I did accept it, though, and now I'm living a very happy life.

I really loved Gaara-kun once I got to know him, and his brother and sister, Kankuro and Temari, are very nice as well. Temari and I could get along well with each other, as soon as we'd met, and Kankuro was charming in his own way (A/N: in other words: slightly perverted…but don't worry, he isn't hitting on Hinata in this story).'

Hinata remembered that Temari was waiting for her, so she took a shower and got dressed very quickly, then went downstairs. In the kitchen she saw Gaara and Temari sitting, Kankuro was probably still asleep.

"Ohayo, Temari-chan, Gaara-kun…" She greeted them softly.

They looked like they had a conversation before, but they were quiet now. Confused Hinata looked from one to another until Temari suddenly hugged Hinata. "Hinata-chan, you're finally downstairs! Eat your breakfast quickly, we're going to shop!"

Hinata smiled, Temari was always so friendly to her.

"All right, Temari-chan, I'll finish it as soon as I can!"

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Gaara P.O.V.

I look at Hinata while she sleeps. She mumbles something, then tosses her body violently in the bed. I want to calm her, she probably has a nightmare. But something restrains me from doing so. I keep watching, until she awakes.

"What a strange dream…"

She doesn't seem to realize that I'm here, so I decide to speak up.

"You can say that again, you were talking and tossing in your sleep…"

She jumps, and I almost smirk. She looks so cute, with her hair all tangled up.

"A-ah gomen, Gaara-kun…I didn't realize you were here too…"

I can't stop my smile. "I noticed… Did you have a nightmare?"

"Ah… no, no nightmare. But it was a rather weird dream, though…"

Now I'm curious. "What was it about?"

She waits a while before she answers, as if thinking.

"W-well, I was alone in the dark, and I saw light. I ran to it, but it didn't come any closer… And suddenly there was a voice, which said I had to remember something… And then I saw a face of a guy, he looked familiar, but I couldn't recognize him… Do you think it's someone from my past?"

I didn't hear the last part, I could only think one thing.

_Shit._

What if she remembers everything again? What if she remembers….Uchiha?

My thoughts are interrupted by a soft voice.

"Is s-something wrong, Gaara-kun?"

I look at her again, realizing that she doesn't remember Uchiha right now. It still bothers me though, I decide to go and speak a word or two with Temari.

"No, nothing's wrong… Go get dressed, Hinata-chan. Temari's waiting for you downstairs."

I want to kiss her, so I give her a small kiss on the lips. Immediately she blushes, then whispers: "All right, Gaara-kun…"

I looked at her once more before I walked out of the room.

Now to find Temari….

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"So you're saying she had a dream in which she was called to remember something?

That's not good, if she remembers what happened…"

"I know that already, Temari," I snap.

"Well, excuse me, Mr Angry-at-everyone-and-everything, but you're missing my point. You do know that if she remembers that Uchiha, and that you kinda held the truth from her, she'll probably run away, right?"

"Hn." 'Note to self: If she ever calls me that again, she'd better make a run for it…'

"Well then, make sure she doesn't! You can probably find some genjutsu to avoid any ghosts from the past…"

"Hn. You're right. You take her to go shopping today, I'll see if I can find anything…

If she remembers it, I'm afraid…that I will lose her…"

Before Temari can answer, we hear the soft greeting of Hinata. We both just sit there for a while, until Temari suddenly hugs Hinata:

"Hinata-chan, you're finally downstairs! Eat your breakfast quickly, we're going to shop!"

I see Hinata smiling, and suddenly feel an ache in my heart.

"All right, Temari-chan, I'll finish it as soon as I can!"

I still look at her smiling face.

'I definitely don't want to lose her…'

**End of chapter two**

**A/N: (Gasps) OMG! Hinata's still alive! And married to Gaara!? Kidding, I already knew that… But you're probably confused now, right? Don't worry, it'll be all clear at the end of the story! Please Review! (Puppy dog-eyes)**

**I decided to update this chapter as well, I just couldn't wait! Maybe I will update chapter three as well:D**

**But for now, sayonara!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Love at second Sight.**

**A/N: Waaaah!!! Thank you all for the reviews! I'm really happy that you all like it!**

**Loujane14: I know, I too love them both for Hinata! I feel sorry for Gaara too, but maybe he'll find someone else… ;) And you're absolutely right, Sasuke did lose hope too soon. But after this chapter you'll hopefully understand a bit more why! I kinda forgot to tell it in the first chapter, ' so I put it in this chapter… And Gaara was planning on tell everything to Hinata, but in his own way. Now that Hinata has those dreams, he's afraid…(and OOC... - -' Sorry, I'll try to make them not too OOC, but it's hard! All they ever say is 'Hn' :) ) But thank you very much for your review!!!**

**TejiLuver: (Blushes) Thank you! I'm happy you think I've done a great job! ****As for your request, Neji plays a small role in this story for now, but maybe he'll get a bigger role as the story develops! And then I'll try to add some NejiXTen. I already put a minor NejiXTen in this chapter for you, hope you'll like it!**

**Reikotsu: o0' Oh no! I didn't know that there already was a story that looks like mine! ****I will try to make it different from Firewindgurl's story… And yeah, they ARE pretty OOC, right? ' Hehe… I'll try not to make them, but let's just say they are grown-up :) But thanks for your review, I appreciate it!!**

**Darkened Purity: Awww, thank you! I'm glad you think it's interesting! **

**strawberry9212: Yeah… it's sad, I know, but it'll get better, don't worry! And I'll try to update as soon as I can, luckily it's vacation now:) **

**Kichou: Hiashi really is a bastard! I don't like him in the Anime either… I know it's sad now, but don't worry! There's light at the end of the tunnel! (does a dramatic pose) I'm glad you like the story so far. **

**Uchiha Ray: (me: totally happy now) Thanks so much:D**

**Well, here's chapter three, hope you like it! Not really an exciting chapter (sorry! Xc ), but I promise that there soon will be more action!**

**Chapter three.**

"…**Tschjak! …Tschjak! …Tschjak!"**

Sasuke took off his blindfold and lowered his hand. His target, a practice dummy, was hit in the heart three times. All three kunai were thrusted deeply into its chest. He smirked. If it were a human, he'd be dead now.

"Uchiha!"

He turned around. Kenji Yokohama, his boss, was standing behind him in the doorway, slightly grinning.

"Good job, Uchiha. You really are the best of your block. Meet me in my office in five minutes, I've got a new assignment for you."

Sasuke nodded, and Kenji left the room. Once Kenji had closed the door, he turned to the dummy, pulled the blindfold before his eyes and threw once again a couple of kunai.

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"Close the door, please, this is a unique assignment…"

Sasuke closed the door and seated himself in one of the comfy arm-chairs in the office.

"All right, let's get started. I hope you're exited, 'cause this is gonna be a hell of a job!"

"…."

"Ah, as silent as always… You should get yourself a girl, Uchiha."

"…" There was a slight scowl on Sasuke's face now, that guy always came up with this crap!

"Ok, I see you're not in the mood right now… Well, as for the assignment… I assume you have heard of the Kazekage of the Sand, Sabaku no Gaara?"

The name surprised the Uchiha, but he didn't show it. "Hn."

'Oh, so he CAN talk after all!' Kenji mentally snickered, but seeing the Uchiha's expression, it didn't seem wise to say it out loud.

"Well, somebody wants him dead. And preferably, also his wife. It's a huge assignment, not like everything else you have done before, but seeing your past, I thought you would be the fitting person for this one. You accept it?"

Sasuke nodded, he couldn't care less that it was Sabaku no Gaara.

"I'll take the assignment."

Kenji nodded also, he expected that. He didn't know very much of the Uchiha's past, but enough to conclude that the kid had lived a though life before he met him, so he was a perfect assassin. For the small two years Sasuke had worked for him, he was impressed by the way he killed his targets. He didn't seem to have any emotions at all.

A solemn voice interrupted his thoughts. "Can I go now…?"

"Ah… Yes, you may. But before you do, I want you to have this." Kenji handed a slightly scattered document over. Sasuke took it, and gave the paper an once-over. There was an address written on it, but he didn't recognize it.

"You must go to that address. There will be a person waiting for you there, who can tell you more details about this assignment… Well, that's all, you can go now. Good luck, and please don't screw this up, the client paid a lot of money…"

Sasuke mentally sighed before he nodded. There were only two things important in Kenji Yokohama's life, and those were women (he was married and divorced for at least five times) and, not surprisingly, money. He got out of the arm-chair, and left the office.

Kenji looked at the Uchiha's retreating form, before he sighed.

"I trust you, Uchiha, but if you blow this one up, it will not only cost us money, it will put your life and the whole organisation in danger too…if you fail, I might have to kill you too…"

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"Ah! Hinata-chan, this would look sooooo good on you!" Temari happily squealed.

Hinata turned to Temari, before sweat-dropping. "A-Ano, uhm, Temari-chan, I don't think so…"

Temari was holding a purple spaghetti-strapped top up, a bit TOO revealing for Hinata's taste.

"Sure it does! Look, it's completely your colour, see?"

"B-but I don't think…"

"No but's, come on, go on and fit it!" Temari pushed the top in Hinata's hands, and forced her into a fitting-room.

After a while Hinata still hadn't come out, and the fan-user became a bit impatient.

"Hinata, it's not that bad, right? Please come out, I want to see how it looks on you!"

Slowly the curtains were pulled aside, and Hinata shuffled out.

"KAWAII! See, I told you! It's looks gr…."

Upon seeing Hinata's sad facial expression, Temari stopped herself.

"What's the matter, Hinata-chan? Aren't you feeling well? Or is it the top? If you want, we can look for…"

"No no it's fine, Temari-chan, arigatou…" Hinata softly interrupted her. "It's just that… well, you see, I had this strange dream, and…"

Temari mentally sighed. She already expected this. She had tried to avoid it, but it seems it was too late now.

"I know, Hinata-chan, I know… Gaara already told me that. But I can't help you, it's something you and Gaara have to solve…"

"A-ah…Ok, Temari-chan… Sorry for bothering you…"

"No, No! It's all right, Hinata-chan! Look, why don't we go out of here and grab ourselves a cup of coffee, ne? I'm dying for a cappuccino!" Temari grinned.

"That sounds great, Temari-chan! I saw a nice café over there…" Hinata already walked towards the exit.

"All right, but before we go, you need to change, Hinata-chan. You're still wearing that top…"

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"But, uncle, why won't you tell Hinata-sama the truth? She has the right to kn…"

"Silence, Neji! I won't tell her anything, and you won't either. If she finds out about the truth, she'll be torn apart between staying with Gaara and running away to find that damn Uchiha. Besides, then you'll have to tell her also that he left. It will hurt her. You don't want to do that to her, do you?"

Neji remained silent. His uncle was right, he didn't want to see his cousin hurt, but he suspected Hiashi from wanting to hide something else. But he was just a branch-member, he couldn't do anything about it. But maybe someone else c…

"And you won't go and search for the Uchiha, either. It's for the best if he stays out of Hinata's life."

Neji mentally grimaced. His uncle was definitely up to something. If he couldn't stop him, he had to find out at least what he was planning…

"Uncle, tell me one thing. Why did you tell the Uchiha that Hinata-sama had died that day? We could've told him to stay away from her…"

"And you think that would've stopped him? No, he needed to think that Hinata was dead, so he would be broken and would leave. I needed him to get away, for I wanted no interferences between the marriage of Hinata and Gaara-sama."

"But why? Hinata-sama was happy with that Uchiha, so why…"

"Hinata needed to marry Gaara-sama. Leave now and let this case rest, I have already said too much." Hiashi signalled for him to leave.

Neji scowled inwardly, but kept his calmness at the outside. There really wasn't much that he could do now, let alone stop. But he definitely wouldn't let this rest! So he nodded and bowed to Hiashi, and left the room.

He decided to go to the training grounds, where Tenten was probably waiting for him. He left the Hyuuga compound and went to the field where the old team of Gai trained in the old days.

He spotted Tenten miles away, busy with her weapon training. He would rather bite his tongue off before he would admit it, but he was impressed with, even… dare he say it, admired Tenten's ability to work so well with all kinds of weaponry. When they used to train with Gai, he thought that she looked pretty cute with those buns, but he never showed that he even cared for her. Tenten always said that she liked him as a friend, and nothing more. But over the past few years, they were attracted to each other more and more, and last year they even started dating. Tenten also cared very much for Hinata, and thought of her as her own sister. Thus she certainly would not like this.

Neji arrived at the training field, and went straight to Tenten.

"Tenten-chan."

Tenten turned around, a couple of senbon still in her hand, and smiled.

"There you are! Jeez! I thought you would never show up!"

"Gomen. But I had a little… chat with Hiashi-sama."

There was a little spark of hope in Tenten's brown eyes. "Did he finally agree to tell Hinata-chan the truth?" Tenten had heard a little while ago that it wasn't Sasuke's fault that Hinata had been injured. She felt bad for him. Because Hiashi had told him that, he had assumed that Hinata was dead, while she actually was in a coma, and never came out of his house anymore, until the night he left Konoha. The day after his leave, Hinata had woken up. She had lost her memory and had forgotten everyone, including Sasuke. Hiashi had ordered everyone to tell Hinata nothing about Sasuke. 'It would hold sad memories for her, because he had left,' so he claimed. Although some people, especially Naruto and Sakura, were very sad that they couldn't tell her about him, they kept quiet, because they didn't want to hurt Hinata. And even if some wanted to tell her, Hinata was under strict protection, and a few weeks later she married to Gaara and moved to Suna, so they didn't have very much chance anymore. Slowly it became peaceful in Konoha again, most people forgot about the incident and Sasuke. But now a few others became uncomfortable. Neji and Tenten were two of them. They wanted that Hinata knew the truth. She had the right to know it.

Neji scowled. "No, he just ordered me to forget the whole case. But I can't, I know that there's something not right." He took a deep breath.

Tenten looked at him, slightly smiling. "Don't worry, Neji-kun. Hinata-chan is going to find out the truth someday, and Gaara-sama wouldn't let anything happen to her. We neither. Everything is going to be ok."

She sounded confident, but she wasn't really sure herself. And they both knew it. But neither of them wanted to admit it.

Neji just sighed. "I hope you're right…"

_**End of chapter three **_

**A/N: That was chapter three! Like I said, not too exciting… - -' But it will get better soon, I promise! I'll try to update chapter four before New Year's, but if I can't:**

**HAPPY 2007!!! XD **


	4. Chapter 4

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: Chapter four has arrived! Time sure goes fast… (pinks away a tear)**

**And I've got more reviews! Yay! Thank you so much again, _Reikotsu _and_ Uchiha Ray! _****And of course you too, _brokenAngel89 _and _SilverMoonchan!_ **

**I'm really glad that you all still like it:D As for other people, please review, you'll help keeping this girl happy! Sorry for my babblings, please continue reading!**

**Chapter four**

Sasuke looked at the address, and then at the house (well, if you could call it a house) … and again the address.

Something wasn't right.

**Here **would live the person who would give him information? Were we even talking about the same person? It was an **old people's home, **for Kami's sake! But also his only option, so Sasuke just sighed before he knocked harshly on the large wooden door.

A middle-aged nurse with a quite peevish expression opened it. "What do you want?" she asked impatiently, well, more like demanded. Sasuke, though, wasn't discomfited by this old hag. He'd been through worse.

"I'm looking for someone. Aren't you supposed to take care of old people or something, instead of scaring the visitors away?" He answered icily in the same demanding tone.

The nurse's frown deepened even more, if possible. She grumbled something about the rudeness of the youth nowadays before groggily stepping aside to let him in.

Sasuke ignored the whimsical nurse and walked inside the building. He grimaced. Two seconds in here, and he already wanted to get out. It smelled like old people and the hospital, and those were two things (of many, many other things) he didn't like. He just hoped he could find the informant as fast as possible, so he could get away from this hell-hole.

He decided to go to the common room, there was probably the biggest opportunity to find the guy. Shoving his way through the seniors, who looked at him strangely ("What is a teen like him doing here?"), he finally reached the common room. The Uchiha took a look around.

In the corner, he saw an old man, sitting all alone in his wheel-chair, who looked at him as though beckoning him. Sasuke strolled towards the elder and halted before him.

"Are you the one sent by Kenji Yokohama?" The old man asked him.

Sasuke nodded. Good, he already found him. He didn't want to stay here longer than needed.

"Sorry that you had to come here, I can see you don't like it," the senior grinned. "My name's Nakagawa Yashuhiro, by the way… " he proceeded.

"Hn."

"I presume you are the Uchiha?"

"Hn."

'Doesn't look like the talkative type… and here I was, hoping for someone who would say more than three words to me,' Yashuhiro inwardly sobbed, before continuing.

"All right, so you want information about the Kazekage… I'll tell you everything I know, but that's mainly about the house he lives in… You see, I have worked there more than 30 years as a servant, until I was too old and had to stop. I've never liked the previous Kazekage, he treated me like dirt… and finally kicked me out, I never worked for Gaara-sama. So I can't give you much information about him, but I do have a blue-print of the house, in my room. Maybe you can use that."

"Hn. Let's go get it, then…"

Sasuke and the senior went to Yashuhiro's room, and after they went inside, Yashuhiro closed the door and went searching for the blue-print.

"All right, were do I have that thing… Ah! Found it!" Triumphantly he held the document high above his head, before giving it to the Uchiha and explaining everything.

"I have to warn you though, it's an old one, so there may be some changes now… But I know for a fact that the Kazekage didn't like changes, so you'll have to be able to make it…"

Sasuke nodded. "Thanks, old man. I'll be going now..."

"Ah, wait! Before you go, listen carefully. If you want more information, then go to the Mikazuki. That's a kissaten (A/N: a kissaten is a Japanese style coffee bar) at the center of Sunakagure and it's quite popular, so you can't miss it. Well, that's all I can tell you. Be careful." Yashuhiro opened the door and let the Uchiha out.

The Uchiha nodded again and gave the old man one last look, before he walked downstairs, ignoring the glare of the peevish nurse from before and continued his way to the Mikazuki.

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He opened the door, looked around and groaned silently. He really, REALLY didn't like busy places. And this was certainly a busy place. It became silent in the Mikazuki, everyone stared at the newcomer. Sasuke glared back and soon everyone was minding their own business again. The Uchiha stomped right to the bar and ordered a sake for himself, while thinking. How in the world was he going to find more information at such a busy place, full of drunkards? He highly doubted that he would find anything here…

"Oy, you mind if I sit here?" a gruff voice asked. Sasuke turned to the source of the voice, and met a pair of light-brown eyes. He shook his head. "Go ahead."

The guy sat down and ordered a sake as well. He seemed slightly depressed.

"Man, the Kazekage is such an asshole! Today I let the windows open for just a little while, and he almost killed me! How could I know that they were supposed to stay closed? It's not like it didn't need some fresh air in there… oh, sorry, forgot to introduce myself. My name's Arimoto Toshio." He extended his hand.

The Uchiha shook it, very, very interested now. "You work at the Kazekage's?"

"Yeah, as a guard, but I won't for long now anymore, probably…"

Sasuke only smirked. He had just found a ticket for his way-in into the house of Sabaku no Gaara…

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"_Hinata, remember it! Just remember it!" _

_With eyes full of fear the raven-haired girl ran away from the voice. She couldn't see a thing, save for the face that followed her everywhere she ran to, haunted her whenever she was sleeping._

_Suddenly she saw the light again: the shining, clear light. She wanted to go there, but it didn't come any closer. She turned her head while running, saw the face right behind her, and fell. Lying there, she couldn't move a muscle. The face appeared above her, dark eyes full of sadness. _

"_Leave me alone! I don't know you!" she choked out, heart beating heavily in her throat. _

"_You don't have to be scared. Have you truly forgotten me?" The face inquired softly._

"_I can't remember you, please go away…" the girl whispered. _

"_I only ask you this." The face came closer and closer. "Try to remember it, Hinata…just try once…" _

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"Haaaaaaaah!" With a cry Hinata woke up, shivering slightly.

Gaara, who was lying next to her, sat up, completely startled. "Hinata-chan, what's wrong?"

Hinata looked around: no scary faces. Then she saw Gaara, who was looking at her questioning.

"G-Gomen, Gaara-kun, I was having that weird dream again…Sorry for w-waking you…"

Gaara mentally scowled. The potion he had gotten from the wise old woman of Suna clearly didn't work yet. When he had put it in Hinata's tea, he debated if he just should tell the whole truth to her, but decided against. What if she didn't love him anymore then? He was quite sure that Hinata would stay with him, but would she love him the same way she did before? And what if the Uchiha would show up again? Would he take her away from him? He couldn't handle the thought. He had been alone for such a long time, even after Shukaku was dispersed from him. Hinata was, save for Naruto and his siblings, the only one who would look at him without fear, treat him like a friend. He never wanted to lose her again.

He looked at Hinata again. "It's all right, I'm here, so go back to sleep again…"

Hinata slightly smiled, already calmed a little. "Arigatou, Gaara-kun…" She turned around again, snuggling under the blankets, and soon fell asleep. Gaara watched her a while before going back to sleep also. It took long for him to fall back to sleep, he had the throbbing feeling that something wasn't right. But after a while his eyes closed also.

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A silhouette strolled through the streets of Sunakagure. A streetlight shined upon his face. You could clearly see the light-brown eyes now, shimmering in the light. The man was on his way to the house of the Kazekage, for his work. Standing before the gates, he looked to the guard who was posted behind it.

"Ah, Toshio, there you are! Finally, you were almost ten minutes late, what have you been doing?" The guard inquired.

"I was getting…. a few drinks…"

"You're sounding like you're depressed. Are you still upset about Kazekage-sama yelling at you? Geez dude, it was just a mistake of yours, don't worry so much about it!"

"Yeah, well… just let me in, I have to get working…"

"All right, whatever you want…" the gates opened slowly and squeaky.

'Toshio' smirked at the guard. "Thanks..."

The other nodded at him and closed the gates again.

Once inside the brown-eyed man looked around. Here he was, finally inside! And it hadn't even been that hard.

"Toshio, were have you been, man? You were supposed to take my place ten minutes ago!"

He turned around. There standing in the hallway, looking very impatient, was another guard.

"Gomen, I was having a few drinks…"

The other just sighed. "Fine, but please be on time from now on, all right? I have to go home too, you know…"

'Toshio' nodded, and the other left hurriedly.

After taking a walk, 'Toshio' decided that the coast was clear.

"Release: Shūshagan no Jutsu."

Sasuke Uchiha was standing in the hall now, smirking slightly. That was a technique he learned from when he was with Orochimaru. Those guards of Sabaku were just too stupid… But he still needed to be careful, there were probably more. Now, to find the bedroom of the Kazekage…. he decided to go upstairs. From what he remembered from the blue-print, the bedroom was there, on the left. Silently walking, with one kunai in his hand he climbed the stairs. Once upstairs, he froze.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Another guard was eyeing him dangerously.

_Shit._ He was being uncareful. 'I don't have the time for this…' he inwardly sighed.

The guard attacked him, but Sasuke had already activated his Sharingan and saw through his attack. Before the guard could make another move, Sasuke silently used Body flicker technique:

"Shunshin no Jutsu."

He disappeared, the guard turned around, but was too late. Sasuke had already thrusted his kunai between the ribs. Falling forward, the guard didn't move anymore. Sasuke hoped that they hadn't drawn any attention. He looked around, Sharingan still activated, but didn't see anything. He sighed relieved, deactivating his Sharingan, before continuing his way to the Kazekage's room.

He stopped before a large door and listened. Hearing soft breathings of two persons, he concluded that this had to be the room he was looking for. Slowly he opened the door and went inside. A kunai glinstering in his hand, he approached the bed, where two silhouettes were sleeping soundly. A stream of moonlight shown upon the face of one of them.

Sasuke bent down to take a better look, but found himself staring at the person in question.

'This can't be happening. This isn't true, I must be hallucinating…'

The person who was laying there….

….was Hinata!

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_Hinata was running again, away from the face. "Why can't you leave me alone!" she cried out. _

"_Why don't you remember me?" the face answered sadly. _

_The frightened girl tripped again, and fell. The face hovered above her. _

"_Don't be scared… Please, remember it…"_

_Suddenly there was a hand reaching out of the dark, gently stroking her cheek. At first she tried to hide away when she felt the suprisingly warm hand, but soon she thought it was rather comfortable, so she carefully leaned into the touch. _

"_Hinata?_

_Hinata…_

_Hinata…"_

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Hinata opened her eyes, and closed them again. She still felt the soft touch, she didn't want for it to leave. But the hand left her cheek, and proceeded further to her mouth. Shocked she opened her eyes again.

White eyes met black ones.

For a single second they shared a bond, there was nothing else in the world but them.

Then Hinata broke it, looking away shyly. It was then that she realized there was an intruder in the room! She wanted to scream, but as soon as she looked at the face of the intruder again, she stopped herself.

She looked right into the face that haunted her in her dreams.

The hand left her mouth. Slowly she parted her lips, whispering something almost inaudible.

"Are you a person from my past?"

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The Uchiha really couldn't believe his eyes.

It was Hinata sleeping there, no doubt. But how…? She was… Why did she…

He looked at her face again. The soft skin he would die for to touch it again, the raven-colored hair that gently graced her frame, the pink lips he would give anything for to kiss them…

He had missed her so much, more than anything he'd ever had. And now she was here, sleeping without a care in the world.

He wanted to touch her again.

Slowly he reached his hand out, slightly shivering. He stroked her cheek, her skin felt like velvet. She seemed to feel it, for she flinched under his touch, but soon seemed to lean in, a soft smile gracing her lips.

It seemed like an eternity that he was bent over her, stroking her cheek. But suddenly she opened her eyes, then closed them again. He didn't want her to scream, so his hand slid to her mouth, covering her lips. Her eyes flew open again, and locked with his.

Again, there seemed to pass an eternity. Sasuke kept gazing in her beautiful pearly eyes, while she stared back, until she turned away. The Uchiha was slightly disappointed, he wanted to see her eyes again, the eyes he had missed for two years. Suddenly she locked eyes with him again. He, completely forgotten about his mission, slowly withdraw his hand from her mouth.

She opened it. "Are you a person from my past?"

He stayed silent. What did she mean by that? He opened his mouth, but before he could say something, another voice cut him off.

"What the fuck are you doing in our room?!"

_**End of chapter four.**_

**A/N: o0 OMG! A cliffhanger! Sorry, but I have to keep it exciting, ne? I thought it was a good end, just before New Years! You can read next year how it continues! (Woops, that sounded very wrong... but don't worry, i'll try to update soon) Well, I have to stop now, nut I hope you all will have a great New Year!!!! XD**

**Sayonara!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: Woooooot!!! It's 2007!! XD Well, I had a great time last night, hope you guys had one too!! I couldn't keep you (and myself, I had typed this chapter this afternoon) not any longer in excitement, so I decided to update again! Hope you'll like it! Ah, and before I forget it: Thank you all who reviewed!!!! I really, really appreciate it! And, this is important: Shukaku is not longer in Gaara's body! I guessed I didn't say that quite properly (Gaara only says something about it in Ch. 4, but it's easy to over read it), so I tell you now. But nonetheless he still is very strong (I don't know why I'm saying that, as if you don't know that! Sorry… - -' ), so Sasuke will have it quite difficult… **

**Well, have fun!!!**

**Chapter five**

The Uchiha turned his head very, very slowly.

Next to Hinata sat a seething redhead, who was looking at him as if he would kill him right then and there. And that was probably exactly what he wanted to do. The dark-ringed eyes narrowed, still glaring daggers. A hand moved swiftly.

_Fuck. _'I have a problem now.'

A large wave of sand came his way with an almost unbelievable speed. Sasuke moved aside, barely dodging it. But the sand changed its direction, and headed his way again, as an angry beast. Using Body flicker Technique again, Sasuke disappeared right before the sand could hit him. Gaara, who was out of the bed, was standing in the middle of the room, still controlling the sand. A tiny movement behind him was noticeable.

"Suna no Tate." A wall of sand appeared around Gaara, his silhouette disappearing behind it. Just in time; a kunai plunged deeply into the sand. Sasuke jumped away, for Gaara released his sand again.

"Sabaku Rō." A stream of sand imprisoned a surprised Sasuke; he had been too late to move, and was captured now. Inside the cocoon of sand, with only his face left free, he grimaced when Gaara threw him against the wall; the shock was still felt through the sand.

With one hand raised, the Kazekage slowly walked towards him, a dangerous look in his aqua-coloured eyes. Halting right before Sasuke's face, which was twisted in pain, he smirked.

"You thought you could take her away from me, didn't you? That's not going to happen…" he whispered hoarsely, before his eyes darted towards Hinata. She was sitting in the corner of the room, tears flowing down her cheeks, her arms wrapped around herself, while she looked with large eyes at the scene in front of her. Gaara turned to the Uchiha again, but his green eyes met blazing red ones.

Sasuke had activated his Sharingan.

"Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu!" Gaara stiffened, his eyes went wide. A circle of leafs spun around his body, engulfing him. Soon they fell away, and Gaara looked around. His eyes met lifeless white ones. Hinata was lying on the ground, eyes wide and blood slowly dripping from her mouth. She didn't move, nor did she breathe.

"NO!" Gaara reached for her, but he couldn't move. The puddle of blood around Hinata became larger and larger. He clenched his head with his hands, screaming her name over and over again.

Suddenly he felt a excruciating pain at his abdomen, and his world went black.

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Hinata couldn't take it anymore. Gaara was screaming her name, but he didn't seem to see her. It was clear to her that the dark-haired intruder was using some kind of Genjutsu to torture him. The screams were unbearable for her, tears were dripping profusely on the ground. She tried to answer her husband's pained callings, but her voice wouldn't come out. She tried to move, but her legs gave out. She tried to do at least something, but her body wouldn't cooperate. So, with a horrified expression, she helplessly looked as the sand released the intruder, as he kicked Gaara in the abdomen, and as her husband flew backwards, where he remained motionlessly.

Her voice came back, and her body moved again, seemingly on its own, as she dashed towards Gaara and fell on her knees at his side, calling out for him. "G-Gaara-kun? Gaara-kun! P-Please wake u-up, G-Gaara-kun…" she cried softly. With eyes full of tears she turned to the intruder, who was standing a few foot behind her and was staring at her.

"What have you done to him?!" she cried out. He remained silent and kept on staring. With a pained expression she turned to her husband again, who was still unconscious. She carefully put her hand on his abdomen, while whispering his name. Her hand began to glow a light green colour, and soon Gaara's body was glowing also.

While trying to heal him with one hand, Hinata softly caressed his check with the other one. She was still whispering his name softly when she suddenly felt an arm around her waist, pulling her roughly away from her unconscious husband.

"No! No, p-please let me go! Let me go, I have to help him!" she cried and struggled against his grip, but the intruder ignored her pleas. He dragged her away from Gaara and pinned her against the wall. Forcing her hands beside her head, he looked her into her eyes. She wouldn't look at him, closing her eyes tightly while the tears kept on streaming down her cheeks.

"Hinata." She still wouldn't look, kept her face down.

"Hinata." Forcing her to look up with one hand under her chin, his other hand gently tucked some hairs behind her ear.

"Hinata-chan." White eyes flew open now, and Hinata looked once again in the face that had been haunting her in her dreams.

Red eyes turned into black ones. Cold lips met warm ones.

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Sasuke felt the sand release his body, and as soon as his legs could move again, he swiftly kicked the Kazekage in the abdomen. He flew backwards, collided with the wall, and just laid there motionless. He kept staring at the unconscious body, until he heard a voice. His beloved flower was running. Not towards him, but towards the Kazekage. She fell on her knees at his side while softly crying.

"G-Gaara-kun? Gaara-kun! P-Please wake u-up, G-Gaara-kun…"

She turned to the Uchiha. "What have you done to him?!" Tears were dripping off of her cheeks, falling on the ground. He wanted to wipe the tears away, hold her, tell her it was okay, but he did nothing and remained silent. With a pained expression she turned to the motionless body of Gaara again, and put a hand on his abdomen, while whispering his name. Soon her hand began to glow, and the body of the Kazekage followed steadily.

When her other hand reached to caress his cheek, the Uchiha couldn't take it any longer. He walked towards Hinata, and pulled her roughly away from the redhead.

She fought against his grip. "No! No, p-please let me go! Let me go, I have to help him!"

Her heart wrenching pleas pained his heart, but he continued to drag her away and pulled her against the wall, locking her body with his own, and forced her hands beside her head.

He looked at her tear-stricken face intently. The face he had missed for so long, longed for for what seemed like an eternity. He needed to hear her sweet voice again, only for him.

"Hinata." She wouldn't look at him, kept her face down.

"Hinata." He wanted to see her eyes again. He forced her to look up at him with one hand under her chin, his other hand gently tucked some hair behind her ear.

She still didn't respond, so he tried another method. "Hinata-chan." White eyes flew open now, and she looked at him, a trace of fear shown in her eyes. He was sad, he didn't want her to fear him. But in the reflection of her eyes, he saw that he still had his Sharingan activated. He turned his Kekkei genkai off and leaned down.

His cold lips touched her warm ones.

Finally she was his again.

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Hinata was shocked, to say the least.

Once the cold lips touched hers, she was frozen. Not being able to move a muscle, she remained still.

She felt his tongue travelling down her lips, begging for entrance. Completely numb, she opened her mouth her a little, and felt his tongue gliding in. Her mind seemed to be shut-down, for she didn't even register what exactly was happening.

She was so preoccupied, she didn't even feel the hand sliding around her waist after a while, slowly climbing up her back, and finally touching her neck. She shivered a little, but still didn't feel the hand softly caress her, didn't feel the fingers that were gracing her skin. But she did feel a slight pinch that caused her world to go black.

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Sasuke felt her soft lips and was in an ecstasy. After those long years, he was able to touch her again. He wanted her so bad. His tongue was gracing her lips now, begging for entry. Slowly she parted them, and his tongue slid in. While he was kissing her, he suddenly thought of something.

His mission.

_Shit. _

He couldn't kill Hinata. No fucking way. He'd rather be dead himself.

He decided to take her with him, willingly or not. He didn't know what those bastards (A/N: revering to Hiashi, Neji and Gaara) had done to her, but it was clear to him that she didn't know who he was at all. She could not have forgotten him just like that, so they probably put her under some kind of Genjutsu or something. Or maybe she'd lost her memory, and they '_forgot_' to tell her about him. 'Of all the fathers –and brothers-in-law,' he thought sarcastically, 'it had to be **them**_…_'

So, Sasuke had made his decision quickly. He would run away with Hinata.

But what about Gaara? It was clearly that Hinata loved him. He mentally growled. It would be so easy to kill that bastard right now, but Hinata would never forgive him for that.

While thinking his hand slid around her waist, and slowly went to her neck. His fingers touched her soft skin. Oh, how he had longed for her, to touch her again...

Suddenly he felt her shivering. It was then he had realized she probably wouldn't go with him willingly, so he pinched a nerve in her neck.

Milky white eyes widened, before closing. Unconsciously she fell into his arms, light as a feather. He took her in his arms, stood up, and walked towards Gaara. Halting before him, he looked at the silhouette of the redhead, and decided he would not kill him right now. He screwed his mission up anyway, so it didn't matter anymore. He would take care of Gaara and the consequences of his decision later. Suddenly he heard a noise. He smirked. It sure took long for them to come. They probably thought Gaara had everything under control.

The door flew open and two guards, Temari and Kankuro flew in. They saw a big mess, an motionless Gaara, and an unconsious Hinata in the arms of a smirking Uchiha Sasuke, who disappeared in a puff of smoke.

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She fell on her knees, tears started to pour out. Kankuro headed to Gaara to help him, while the guards went after the Uchiha, but they all knew it was useless.

Sasuke Uchiha had kidnapped Hinata.

She couldn't believe it. Her sweet, kind, innocent sister-in-law was taken away. After two years, karma seemed to come back with all its force. Sabaku no Temari had never been the type to believe that kind of, what she called, bullshit, but she wasn't so sure now.

She slowly got up her feet, and stumbled towards her siblings. Gaara was still unconscious, but started to stir by now.

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"_G-Gaara-kun? Gaara-kun! P-Please wake u-up, G-Gaara-kun…" A soft voice called out to him. Gaara slowly stood up. It was completely dark, but he still heard the voice, which calmed him down a bit. It was soothing him, although it sounded very sad._

"_What have you done to him?!" The voice called suddenly. Gaara didn't understand it. What had he done? _

_Then suddenly, the voice was soothing him again, as if it hadn't cried out before._

_He felt a soft hand carefully caress his cheek. It felt so good, as if he didn't need to worry anymore. But before he could lean in, the hand was roughly pulled away._

"_No! No, p-please let me go! Let me go, I have to help him!" The voice sounded panicked now, and it was like it was sounding softer and softer._

'_No! Don't leave!' he wanted to call, but he couldn't move his body, let alone his lips._

"_Gaara…_

_Gaara…_

_Gaara-kun…"_

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Lime-green eyes opened, and closed immediately again. Damn, the light! It was so clear it hurt his eyes...

"Gaara-kun! You're awake!" A pair of arms was wrapped around him suddenly. He slowly opened his eyes again, and saw his sister hugging him fiercely. His brother sat beside him, grinning slightly. "Welcome back, lil' bro…"

Gaara managed to smirk a little, but soon grimaced. _Fuck, _his body hurt like hell. Suddenly realization dawned upon him.

_Hinata wasn't here._

"Where is Hinata…" he croaked hoarsely. Temari let go of him, her face turned away. Kankuro looked down also. Gaara's heart ached. No…fucking….way_…_

_He didn't…_

…_take her away, did he? _

"Gaara-kun, I… we…" Temari was crying now.

"He took her with him…"

_**End of chapter five**_

**A/N: o0 Sasuke was a bastard, wasn't he? (sighs) Oh well, we'll just have to wait what happens next! I hope you liked it, there wasn't much of a cliff-hanger right now, was there? (gets dirt and shoes thrown at her) All right, all right, maybe just a little! But I'll update as soon as possible, okay? But for now,**

**sayonara!!!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: And chapter six is done!!! XD You'll probably wonder why I update so soon every time, but that's because I have the time now! When I have to go to school again, I won't have a lot of free time (those teachers of mine are bastards when it comes to the amount of homework, tests, red... - -')…. And I really want to finish this story! So, enjoy it! And of course, thank you all who reviewed!!! XD (Woa, 5 reviews from one person: Sakura li 19! Thanks!) As for Itachi and the Akatsuki… well, let's just say they're dead. Same goes for Orochimaru. But anyways: keep on reading! XD And reviewing of course…**

**I suddenly realized that I've forgotten the disclaimer at the last four chapters! (Gasps) Please don't sue me!**

**Here it is: Don't own Naruto & co, and I'll probably never do… (hey, that almost rhymes! ;P )**

**Well, on with the story…it will be quite dramatic, so be prepared!**

**Chapter six**

"_Do you already remember it, Hinata-chan? Please, don't forget me…" _

Slowly pearl eyes opened and looked at the surroundings. Hyuuga Hinata became a bit scared. Where was she? This was definitely **not **her room.

"You're awake…" A silhouette came out of the shadows, and stepped into the light that shined through the broken window. She recognized the face now. It was that dark-haired person again, from her dreams.

Wait…. from her dreams? She was awake now, right? A bit scared Hinata looked around again, searching for any clues that this guy was just a hallucination, but found none.

Quite the opposite, actually. He was bent over her now, touching her face, and it felt real. Suddenly realization dawned upon her. She remembered the night before.

_He hit Gaara-kun…_

…_and took me away…_

Her hart began to beat rapidly, her breathing increased, tears starting to form in her eyes.

…_Who is this guy? What did he want with her? Why haunted he her in her dreams?_

She turned her face, didn't want to look at him anymore. Tears were dripping onto the bed now.

"Who are you?" she whispered softly. The hand caressed her check again, carefully and soft.

"You don't remember me at all, do you?" he asked gently. He paused, before continuing. "You don't have to be afraid of me, I would never hurt you… Hinata-chan…"

'_Again the Hinata-chan…' _White eyes looked up now, tear-filled but questioning.

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The Uchiha sighed inwardly. This was going to be harder than he thought. It was clear that she didn't know who he was at all, so how could he convince her that he wasn't some kind of sick psycho who had kidnapped her? She was probably scared out of her wits now, especially after last night. And now she was looking at him with that questioning look, silently asking him why he had called her Hinata-chan. He decided to explain everything. Now was the question that was left; How?

He sighed again. It couldn't be too hard, right?

"Look, Hinata…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

'Okay, so it IS going to be hard…' "Don't be scared, please…"

He didn't know AT ALL what to say anymore, but luckily Faith decided to help him, for Hinata spoke up. Barely inaudible, but he heard it.

"I-I'm not really scared, b-because I've dreamt a-about you…"

Well, that's a start. She wasn't afraid of him. But she dreamed about him? "You did?"

"Y-Yes, but, I-I didn't know wh-who you were… and I-I still don't… A-Are you a…" She was silent for a couple of seconds, but continued. "…a p-person from m-my past?"

What did she mean by that? He didn't understand it. "Well, I have known you…I lost you, and yesterday was the first time I saw you again…"

She seemed shocked. He saw different emotions cross her normally so gentle expression. After a while she managed to choke out something.

"W-Wh-What was I-I to y-you?"

He didn't expect that question. He had expected a "How do I know you're not lying?" or something like that. But not this. He answered nonetheless.

"…You were the person I loved the most of everything on this planet…"

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Ok, that was a shocker.

She looked him right in the eyes, trying to find a single trace of falseness, one clue that pointed to a lie, but found none. Not even one bit. His eyes held genuine warmness, warmth that was meant for her and her only.

Tears started to flow again.

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Sasuke was shocked also. Did he say something wrong? Was she hurt?

"Hinata, I…"

"No, no, i-it's all right… I b-believe you…B-But who are y-you?"

"I'm… Sasuke Uchiha…"

Her eyes went wide again. She murmured his name a few times, as if she remembered something. He hoped so, that would make things a lot easier...

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_Flashback_

"HINATA-CHANNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!" An orange blur came her way with an amazingly speed, and suddenly she was almost crushed by two arms that were firmly wrapped around her.

"I'm so glad that you're awake!!! When you're out of the hospital, I will treat you on a nice bowl of…"

"Naruto, you idiot! You're almost choking her!" The orange blur, who was actually a very energetic blonde boy with whiskermarks, was whacked on the head a few times by a pinked-haired girl, and he let go of the poor Hinata.

"Awww, Sakura-chan! You didn't have to hit me that h…" the boy, whose name was apparently Naruto, closed his mouth suddenly when he received a very deathly glare from the pink-haired Sakura-person. Suddenly she turned to Hinata, the death-glare turned into a warm expression. "Hinata-chan, how are you? Do you feel better? We (she gestured to herself and the hyperactive blonde who was rubbing his head where Sakura had hit him) brought you some flowers, because we knew you liked them so much…" she smiled and put them in a vase which was standing on the desk.

A genuine smile was also plastered on Hinata's face. These people were so nice, probably her friends. Too bad she couldn't remember them… The warm smile faded and was replaced by a sad expression.

Sakura noticed the change and was worried. "What's wrong, Hinata-chan? Are these the wrong flowers? We could…"

"N-No, no, they're b-beautiful, arigatou… both of you…" Hinata interrupted softly before smiling to both of them. "I-It's just that, I-I lost my memory… a-and I don't remember you, b-but you are so- so nice, and…I-I want to remember again…"

"I see… Well, don't worry Hinata-chan, you will remember us soon enough. You won't forget Naruto here (she pointed to the blonde, who was smiling sheepishly) that fast, I guarantee you… And I'm Sakura Haruno…I was, and still am, your colleague… You worked at the hospital, and so do I! I hope you'll get better soon, so we can work together again."

"Yeah!!!!" Naruto yelled happily. "And then we can eat Ramen together again! That would be so cool… But, Hinata-chan, have you seriously forgotten everything and everyone? Including Sasuke-bast…"

WHAM! He received another smack on the head, a rather hard one this time.

"OW! Where did I deserve that for?! I didn't do anyth…"

He was silenced quickly again, when he saw the very dangerous expression on Sakura's face.

Hinata was confused. Sasuke? Why did that sound so familiar? She was told of everyone else by Neji-niisan, but he hadn't mentioned a Sasuke… She looked at Sakura, who was yelling at Naruto for being so stupid.

"S-Sakura-chan, wh-who is S-Sasuke?"

The pink-haired girl turned around quickly, and smiled nervously.

"A-Ah, he, errrrr… he was no one, Hinata-chan… Forget about that name, it doesn't matter."

Hinata was still confused, but trusted her new-founded friends and decided to forget about the issue. It wasn't important, as long as she had her friends and family…

_End Flashback_

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"Sasuke-s-san… D-Do you kn-know a Naruto?" Curiously she looked up at him, testing if this was the same Sasuke Naruto had been talking about.

The Uchiha cringed a little. The image of a hyperactive blonde who was eating his Ramen flooded into his mind. It hurt him to think about his long-lost friend. But Hinata seemed to expect from him that he knew him.

"Yeah… that hyperactive dobe… he was my best friend…"

Hinata seemed a little shocked. 'So Naruto-kun had been an important person to him too…'

"Can you exp-explain me why he wasn't a-allowed to s-say your n-name?"

He was taken aback once again. Naruto had mentioned him? And he hadn't been allowed to? Suddenly he understood it all.

'_She has lost her memory in that accident…And they haven't told her about me… Because they thought it was my fault…'_

He looked at Hinata again.

"You had an accident, right?" Now it was Hinata's turn to look surprised. How did he know? But before she could ask, he continued.

"…Everyone in Konoha thought it was my fault…."

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Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.

Sabaku no Gaara was pissed off, and everyone in Sunagakure knew it. Stomping through the hall of the hospital, with Temari and Kankuro stumbling behind him, Gaara headed straight to the exit of this damn place. He wanted to get out of here _a.s.a.p._ and go looking for Hinata.

Suddenly, an arm gripped his wrist. Seething he turned around to yell at the person who dared to stop him, but was taken aback a little by the firm expression of his sister.

"Gaara-kun, I know that you want to go and search for Hinata-chan, but at this rate you'll getting nowhere. You don't know where she is, and you are still injured. You have to heal first bef…"

"Temari, I suggest you let go of my wrist… _Now._" Gaara hissed in a low voice.

His sister let go of him, but still held the determined expression in her eyes.

"All right, whatever you want… But know that you'll stand alone then…"

Gaara stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned around. "What do you mean by that…?"

"If you go now, Kankuro and I won't help you." Kankuro quickly turned to his sister. "Hey, don't involve me in this!" A growl from Temari's direction shut him op at once.

Gaara was looking at the ground. "I just want to find her…" Temari quickly walked towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, we want to find her too… But you will have to heal first. Now that Shukaku is no longer part of you, it'll go a bit slower… but don't worry, we will find Hinata soon enough. And I have a feeling the Uchiha-bastard won't hurt her…"

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Pale eyes were looking at him, shocked. The Uchiha sighed. He'd already guessed that wasn't the smartest thing to say…

"B-But how… w-when…"

He gently put a hand on her mouth. "I will tell you…everything." She nodded.

He sighed before he continued. "You and I…. we were lovers, as you would call it." Inner Sasuke grimaced, he hated that word!

"One day, Tsunade-sama gave us a mission. We were sent to the Land of the Waterfall to investigate the situation there… When we were on our way, Sound Nin attacked us. You were injured badly, and fell into a coma. I brought you to the hospital, soon your father and Neji came, they blamed me for your injuries, and that I had failed to protect you. Your father told me that I were never to see you again, and forced me out of the hospital. Believe me, Hinata-chan, no matter how much I wanted to see you, I couldn't face you, because I believed that I had failed as your protector. Your father told everyone that it was my fault, and they believed it. I believed it. I felt guilty. Then he came at my door and told me you were dead, and that I wasn't welcome at your funeral. I hadn't talked to anyone since then, so only I was told you were dead, probably…"

He scowled slightly, before continuing. "Soon I left Konoha, I couldn't take it anymore. And now, after two years, I see you again…. alive, and… married… So I took you with me, I hope you can forgive me…"

He sighed again. "Well, that was it. That's the story as far as I know..." Looking at Hinata, he was shocked to see that she cried. "What's wrong?" he asked concerned.

She looked up at him, eyes shining with tears. "I can't b-believe my f-father did th-that... Th-th-they n-never told me of y-your ex-existence… I w-was in the h-hospital when I-I woke up, N-Neji-niisan was w-with me, and I re-remembered n-nothing. B-Barely five m-minutes later, G-Gaara-kun came, a-and proposed t-to me… H-He told me t-that my f-father already gave h-his permission. An-And I said y-yes!" She broke down, and clutched onto the Uchiha's shirt, staining it with her salt tears, but he didn't care for that. He sat down next to her, and pulled her into an embrace.

Silently Hinata sobbed, until she calmed down a little. "I c-can't believe they a-all held this from m-me… especially G-Gaara-kun…" she whispered barely inaudible. Sasuke scowled at the 'kun', but Hinata didn't notice it. "I d-don't kn-know what to d-do now…"

Sasuke remained silent. He didn't know either. But what he **did** know was that they had to disappear as soon as possible. If Kenji heard about his failure, he'd probably sent another assassin after Hinata and Gaara, and also himself. Gaara could take care of himself, but Hinata definitely needed protection.

"Hinata…." she looked up at him. "We have to get out of here. I can't tell you why yet, but I'll tell you… sooner or later…"

Hinata didn't know what to say. She trusted Sasuke, but what about Gaara? She still loved him, even if he had held the truth from her. She didn't want to leave her old life! She had realized it would never be the same though, but still…

"S-Sasuke-kun… I d-don't know if I-I can…" she looked at the ground, afraid of his reaction.

The Uchiha tilted her head to his face again, and spoke soft but firmly.

"We have to… or else I'm not sure if we'll survive…"

_**End of Chapter six**_

**A/N: OK, that was A LOT of drama, like I said… I hope it wasn't TOO sentimental, if it was: sorry... - -' Hope you still enjoyed it, and I promise: next time it will be more exciting, then you'll hear how Hiashi and Kenji respond when they find out! 0 0' Probably not too well… **

**Till next time!!! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: Waaahoe! Chapter 7 is ready to read! XD (ahem) Sorry, I just wanted to say that for at least one time!!!! Anyways, my thanks for the reviewers!!!! (bows) Yeah, I know, I update fast, but I want to! When I'll have to go to school again, prepare for a veeeeeery long-ass-time waiting… - -' Urch… I just wished I had vacation until the Apocalypse or something…. But I can't complain, some of my friends have to go to school already! Good luck to them… (salutes) But anyways, on with the story!!!**

**Disclaimer (yes, this time I ain't forgetting it): Don't. own. a. thing…**

**Chapter 7**

_At the Hyuuga estate…_

"_What _did you just _say_?!" an outrageous voice boomed.

"P-please calm d-down, H-Hiashi-s-sama… I said..."

"I **know **what you said, **imbecile!** What are you waiting for?! Go and warn the elders! I'm heading to Sunagakure immediately. I want an explanation of Sabaku no Gaara…"

The sound of anxious footsteps was heard through the corridors as the fearful servant was running towards the room where the elders stayed.

Hyuuga Hiashi was very, **very** angry. Angrier than angrier. In fact, it wasn't even describable with normal words. He was furious, seething, boiling and raged all together.

His daughter had just been _kidnapped. _He couldn't believe it. A _Hyuuga-clan member_ (me: well, statistically speaking, she isn't anymore, now that she's married to Gaara… Hiashi: shut up…) had been taken away by a lowlife called Uchiha Sasuke. The shame!!! What would everyone think! He knew he should have killed that damn Uchiha when he had the chance… Well, the kid was going to get it anyway… and he knew how…

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Sasuke sneezed. Not a good sign. He was never sick. He looked at Hinata, who was busy picking out clothes (Me: well, you couldn't expect from her to walk in a nightgown all the time, right?), on which she had insisted. Using a simple Henge no Jutsu they were quickly buying some main articles.

Becoming a bit impatient the Uchiha nudged the indigo-haired girl and whispered a "Hurry up, please…" She nodded and went to the cash-desk, where a friendly woman helped her. Sasuke was impatiently tapping his foot, and became even more restless when he heard a conversation between two citizens.

"…Kazekage is very angry. This morning, I heard, he wanted to run out of the hospital and look for her, but his sister stopped him…"

"Well, I would be like that too, if my wife was abducted! I just hope they find her soon, she was always so kind…"

He didn't need to hear more. When Hinata was ready he grabbed her hand immediately and stomped straight to the exit, pushing a few innocent passengers aside along the way.

"P-please w-wait…" a tiny voice was heard behind him.

He turned around, but his scowl disappeared as soon as he saw the look on Hinata's face. He sighed. Even if she was supposed to be someone else, she still held that cute look of hers.

"What is it?"

"W-Well, uhm, I-I c-c-care for G-Ga-Gaara-kun…v-very much…" she looked to the ground, eyes hidden behind her bangs. "H-He is pr-probably w-worried f-for me a-as well, s-so isn't t-there a sl-slight chance t-to tell h-him that I-I'm okay?" Her voice was quivering now, she was afraid for his reaction.

Looking around if anyone had heard them, he sighed again. "Look… I can't tell you why at this moment, but you are in danger." She looked up at him now, shocked. "Gaara as well," he continued, "but he'll be ok… So we need to go, right now preferably. You can contact Sabaku as soon as we… you are save." She didn't notice the mistake, but nodded with a sad expression. "O-Ok…"

He began walking again, never letting go of her hand. She trailed behind him, not daring to look up.

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Kenji Yokohama sighed very, very deep.

Ok, so the Uchiha **had **screwed up. Big time. Not only did he _not_ kill the Kazekage, but had abducted the wife as well. How much more could it go wrong now? The client, who had just left, had been outrageous, but had given them still one chance. If they fucked up, they were goners.

He didn't know the reason behind Sasuke's actions, but he did know it was too late for the Uchiha. The only thing he could do now, was to eliminate him... It really was a pity, he had been a great asset for the organisation…

"Kuromu, I have a mission for you…"

A dark-haired man nodded.

"Hai, I will take it."

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Never in his life had Hyuuga Neji been **this** angry. Well, maybe once or twice before, but now he had heard from the elders that his beloved cousin was kidnapped, and his uncle didn't seem too worried about it, he felt like killing someone. Mainly the guard who wouldn't let him pass at this very moment.

"Goddamnit, let me in already! I need to speak with Hiashi-sama!"

The guard didn't budge as Neji tried to push him aside. "I am sorry, Hyuuga-san, but Hiashi-sama has already left. He gave strict orders for not letting anyone in…"

Neji seethed. "He has already **left?!**" Oh, he was going to explode any second now…

"Yes, about an hour ago. He said…"

"**I don't care what he said! **Where is he headed to at this moment?!"

"To Sunagakure, Hyuuga-san."

Neji took a deep breath. He wasn't going to let his anger take the best of him…. he wasn't going to let his anger take the best of him… he wasn't going to let….

"He ordered me to tell you to stay here and not to follow him to…"

"AAAAARGHHH!!!!" A very, **very **pissed off Neji stomped away, throwing a vase, which was standing on a pedestal, on the ground along the way.

And his uncle thought he was going to sit down and just let everything pass? **No. fucking. way.** Hinata-sama needed help, and he was going to give it in every way he could.

Neji figured that the Uchiha had told her everything, so she probably would be very sad that they all had held the truth from her. He scowled. After two years old sores were reopened, and his uncle was the one to blame… He was really planning something, and the Hyuuga genius was going to find out what.

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A sigh was heard.

The Uchiha turned his head to his companion, who looked kind of depressed.

He put an arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry so much, you're safe here… with me." He scowled inwardly. 'Yeah, that's so true, considering Yokohama has probably sent an entire army after me now…' But he wouldn't let Hinata know it, at least not for now.

She looked at him, and smiled softly. "I know, Sasuke-kun… I-It's just that…my life… it will never be the same again… I don't know what to think, and who to t-trust." Upon seeing the Uchiha's face, she frantically waved her hands before her face and added quickly: "I-I trust y-you, I really d-do! B-But you have to u-understand that all of this is hard for m-me… To lose m-my memory, to marry s-someone I don't even remember, a-and then, two years later, being c-confronted with m-my past again…" The last part was whispered almost inaudible, but being around her for a very long time, Sasuke heard it clearly.

"I know. I know it must be hard for you. But hold on for just a few days, and you'll be able to understand it all. You'll get your memory back sooner or later…"

"A-Arigatou…I'm glad you're with me again, Sasuke-kun…"

He grinned inwardly. That sounded like the old Hinata again. "All right, little one, we're almost in Amegakure (A/N: village in Land of Rain). We'll be safe there for a little while, you'll fit right in, because they use mostly water based jutsu there…"

Hinata didn't even hear the last part.

'_Little one…' _She smiled brightly now.

She remembered it. She remembered it when he called her that for the first time…

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_Flashback_

"Oy, Hinata-chan. Aren't you going to stop too? I'm worn out!" A boy with triangle-shaped marks on his cheeks called lazily to me, while I was still busy beating up a wooden dummy.

I turned around, smiling but panting slightly. "It's all… right, Kiba-kun…You… can go home… I want to… train just a little…. longer."

I heard him sigh very loudly. "Hinata-chan… I know there's no way to stop you, but think about it, please? You're training almost non-stop for the past three days! Shino, say something about it!" Akamaru, his companion, barked in agreement.

A boy with sunglasses just shrugged. "If she wants to train more, who are we to stop her…?"

"Arigatou… Shino-kun!" I smiled as I saw Kiba smack his forehead in frustration.

"Yeah, thanksfor your _very helpful_ assistance, Shino…" Kiba groaned, before sighing. "Well, if you really want to, Hinata-chan, I won't stop you. But spare yourself a bit, all right?" He looked at her concernedly, while putting Akamaru on his head.

"Hai, don't…worry about me, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun…I'll see you…tomorrow again!"

Kiba grinned a goodbye before turning around and walking towards Konohagakure, followed by Shino, who waved a little. Hinata waved back and turned back to the dummy again.

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"…HA! …HA! …HA! …HA… …H-ha…"

Hinata was exhausted. After almost three hours since Kiba and Shino had left, she was still training. It was already dark, and it was getting colder also, but she refused to stop.

"C-Come on…just…a b-bit…more…" But after one hit she collapsed on the hard ground.

Lying there, she was thinking to herself. 'Maybe I trained a bit too long today…' She tried to get up, but her body refused to cooperate. Shivering from the cold and exhaustion, she tried once more, and fell down again. But this time she was caught by a pair of strong arms.

"You know… You'll get yourself killed one day if you continue like this…"

She'd recognize that stoic voice everywhere. "S-Sasuke…kun…"

"Hn."

"Ari…gatou…"

Before she fainted, she thought she heard a little gentleness in his voice. "Sure…Little one…"

_End flashback_

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Sasuke noticed the very bright smile on Hinata's face. "Why are you smiling?"

Her smile didn't fade one bit. "I've just found the faith again…"

He smirked at her answer. He didn't know what exactly she had remembered, but he was glad for her. Glad that she had at least one memory back of her long-forgotten past.

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Not long after Hinata's change of hearts, they stood right before a large, iron gate.

"State your name, the country you are from, and your purpose, please…" A gruff voice dully asked.

Sasuke answered for the both of them. "Mayumi Shigeru and Mayumi Hanatsuki from the Water-country, and we are here to learn new Genjutsu… for we have heard that in Amegakure live some of the best specialists."

The guard smirked a little. "Well, you're right. Amegakure homes the best specialists in Genjutsu. You have permission to enter for now, but you have to register yourselves. Kappei here will escort you to the town hall." The gates opened and a large blonde-haired man jumped from the trees, gesturing for Sasuke and Hinata to follow him.

Kappei wasn't much of a talker, so there was nothing said on the way to the town hall. Once they had arrived, he finally said something. "Here it is. Good luck with your training…"

Before they could thank him, he already disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sasuke turned to Hinata. "All right, let's go register then…" She nodded and followed him inside.

Once they had registered, they quickly walked outside again, a bit blushing in Hinata's case. They were registered as a married couple! Sasuke hadn't said anything about it, but the smug look on his face said enough. There fell an uncomfortable silence between the 'married couple', but Sasuke decided to break it. "Well, we're in. Now to search for a considerable hotel…"

Hinata said nothing, only nodded. While they were walking through the streets of their temporary home village, silence fell again. But this time, Hinata was the one who broke it.

"W-What do you think of that one, Sas…Shigeru-kun?" She pointed into the direction of a small building, completely built of wood, which was common in Amegakure. The village was situated in a large tropical forest, so hardwood was a regular trading product, as well as building material.

'Shigeru' nodded. "Hn. Looks good to me..." They headed towards the building, while pushing their way through the many villagers.

Soon they were standing before the hotel, named "Nehan Shōja". Hinata was awed by it: it looked so genuine, exactly what she liked! Beside her the Uchiha was slightly scowling. He wanted to get away from as soon as possible, but Hinata seemed to like it, so he silently gave in. Grabbing her hand, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. A rather… big-boned woman immediately rushed to them, while they unconsciously did a step backwards.

"Why, hello there! Looking for a sleeping-place? You're lucky, we have got a few rooms left!" The woman was smiling at them genuinely, just like the building seemed to do, so Hinata was convinced in a couple of seconds. "H-Hai, we w-would like to…" she smiled brightly. She liked this woman!

"Awww, you're so cute!" the woman patted Hinata's head. "I'll see what I can do for you two. What are your names?"

This time Sasuke answered. "Mayumi Hanatsuki and Mayumi Shigeru," he answered rather icily. Hinata looked at him confused.

The woman didn't seem to mind it. "Oooooh, so you kids are married, ne? Kawaii! Well, just wait here, I'll be right back! Have a seat!" She gestured towards a couple of seats before walking away quickly. Hinata smiled and bowed at the woman before turning to her 'husband'.

"Shigeru, is s-something wrong? Don't you like it here? I-If you want, we c-can go and…"

"No, it's fine." he interrupted her. "It's just that woman. I don't like jumpy people…"

Hinata smiled. "I think she's very nice!" Sasuke didn't answer, only looked at her before turning away. Hinata sighed. 'Was he like this too when I met him?' she asked herself quietly. But before she could wonder more about the Uchiha's stoic behaviour, their hostess had returned again. Hearing the Uchiha scowl beside her, Hinata ignored him and turned towards the woman, smiling friendly.

"All right, everything's settled! You have room 67… If you have any questions, you can come to me, Nakai Yuriko, or my husband Ikue. He is standing over there." She pointed into the direction of a man with grey hair, who was nodding friendly.

"Well kids, have fun here!" She winked before continuing. "Ikue is bringing you to your rooms." The grey-haired man gestured for them to follow them.

Hinata bowed. "Arigatou, Yuriko-san!" Yuriko smiled back at her. "You're welcome. Well, I have to back at work, bye-bye!" She kissed them both on the cheek and left.

Sasuke was slightly disgusted, although he didn't show it. 'If she does that again, I'm out of here…' He followed Hinata, who was heading to Ikue.

"All right, I'll bring you to your room. Sorry for my wife's behavior, she always does that when there are new people…" he apologized, although there was a slight smile on his lips.

"It's fine, Ikue-san… Yuriko-san seems very nice!" Hinata said politely.

"Ah, yes she is. She has a knack for making people fee at home…" Inner Sasuke snickered. 'Yeah, right…'

"Well, this is your room. Please, make yourselves at home." Ikue handed Sasuke the keys.

Hinata bowed. "Arigatou, Ikue-san!" He nodded friendly to the both of them and left.

"All right, let's get inside…" Sasuke put the keys in the lock, turned and opened the door. The went inside, but halted in the doorway.

"Hm."

"A-Ah…. Th-there's only o-o-one bed…."

_**End of chapter seven**_

**A/N: I know I know, that last part was veeeeeeery cheesy, but I just _had_ to put it in! XD**

**Well, I hoped you liked it, not as exciting as I promised (Sorry! ), but it wasn't that bad, right? Till next time!!!**

**Sayonara!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Love at second sight**

**A/N: Wooooot!!! Chapter eight is here! XD We'll continue with the cheesiness a bit, but we'll survive, right? You have to admit: SOMEtimes cheesiness is rather fun! Anyways: thanks for the reviews! I can not say it enough: I really, REALLY appreciate them, since this is my first fic and all… But please go on, I'm babbling too much again! Have fun!**

**Chapter 8**

They still just stood there, frozen in their tracks. Although Sasuke didn't mind AT ALL that there was just one bed, he knew this situation was probably rather…. embarrassing for Hinata. And judging on the heat she was radiating and the redness of her face, he was right. So he decided to help her.

"You can have the bed."

Surprised Hinata looked at him, still blushing. "A-Ah, no no, I c-couldn't ask y-you that…" She shook her head furiously, supporting her statement.

"It's fine. I don't mind."

"N-No, really…"

"I. do. not. mind."

"B-But there's no s-sofa either…"

The Uchiha turned his head immediately to the small room. Damn. She was right. Well, there was only one solution then.

"Fine." He plopped down on the bed. "Then we'll share it."

"…" She opened her mouth and closed it again several times. Finally, even more blushing than before, she stumbled to the bed and carefully set herself down next to the Uchiha, who sighed.

"I won't do anything…"

"I-I know…I-I'm j-just k-kind of n-ne-nervous…"

He sighed again. "It's late already… Go to sleep, tomorrow we'll discuss what we're going to do further."

She nodded. "A-All right… I'm g-going to change then…" She lifted herself of the bed, grabbed some clothes from her bag and went to the bathroom.

While Hinata was changing in the bedroom, Sasuke released his Henge no Jutsu, pulled his shirt and pants off, and waited for Hinata to finish.

After a while she came out, also in her normal form again. Wearing a baggy pyjama-pants and a white top with a bunny on it, he had to say that she looked unbelievably cute, but he only smirked.

Hinata, trying very hard not to blush beet-red as she accidentally looked at Sasuke who only was wearing a boxer now, turned her head to the opposite wall and crept under the sheets, pulling them completely over her head.

"Y-You can g-go now, Sa-Sasuke-kun…" A tiny, muffled voice was heard from where Hinata was currently hiding.

The Uchiha smirked out loud now. He stayed where he was to see what Hinata would do now. After a while her head peeped out, but as soon as she saw that Sasuke was still standing there, she ducked under the sheets again.

"As shy as ever, I see…" he mockingly sighed, before putting a shirt on and going inside the bathroom.

When he came back, he saw that his 'wife' was sleeping already, hair a bit messed up from hiding under the sheets. He smiled a little and pushed the sheets aside, stepping inside the bed also. Pulling the blankets almost until his head, he turned to look at Hinata once more.

He had missed her so much. Two long years he had thought she was dead, and now she was here again, with him, in the same bed nonetheless. He was happy that she was back in his life again. The only thing he had to do now was to keep it that way. He sighed silently. It would be hard. They still had a long road to follow. Kenji was probably very pissed off, not to mention the client. He wondered who it could be. Probably some rich jackass.

But they weren't even the main problem. Sabaku no Gaara would be after them as well. He scowled a little. He could see that Hinata loved him deeply, even after everything she had heard. And Sabaku…

The night he had sneaked into their room, when Gaara had held him in a deadly grip, he had seen the look in his eyes. He loved Hinata very much, and would do anything to get her back. And Sasuke knew that if Hinata would see him again, she would be torn apart. Yes, they had run away now, but that wasn't a long-term solution. Sooner or later Hinata would be confronted with all of this. He wanted to shield her, hold her, and protect her, but he knew that the final decision had to be made by Hinata, no matter how hard it would be for her. And he couldn't do anything about that. It really was pissing him off. Killing Sabaku would be the simplest solution, but Hinata would never forgive him that.

He sighed again. Damn, life could be so fucking hard sometimes.

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A coach stopped before the hospital of Sunagakure. The coach-man hopped off and held the door open for an rather intimidating looking man. The driver got his money, greeted the other, and jumped back on his seat, riding further. The other man turned around and went inside the hospital.

The nurse, who was behind the counter, was surprised. Who would come to the hospital at this hour?

"Ano, Sir, it's past the visiting hours. You can come back tomorrow morning…" The man didn't answer, only looked at her with very intimidating white eyes.

The nurse was silenced immediately. The man was coming her way now, and rather nervous she looked him in the eyes. Wanting to repeat herself, she opened her mouth, but was cut off when the guy asked her something.

"What is the room number of Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara?"

The glare he was giving her was so intense, that she wanted to shrink to the size of an ant.

"S-Sir, I a-already told you..."

"The **number of the room, please.**"

"I-I'll look i-it up…" Her self-confidence completely shattered in tiny pieces now, the nurse looked up the number in her papers.

"I-It's 409, S-Sir… But may I advice you to stay no longer than 15 minutes, or else I'm obligated to warn the guards…" The glare seemed to intensify, but fortunately the man turned around. "Thank you, _miss._" He went to the stairs and disappeared.

The nurse stared at his back in complete shock and irritation. "Kami, what a bastard! I hope he won't stay too long…" she huffed.

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Gaara was sitting right up in his bed, staring out of the window. He couldn't sleep. Not when Hinata wasn't with him. He couldn't rest until he had her back. Grimacing, he thought back at that dreadful night. He could still hear Hinata's panicking voice in his head. He could still feel her warm hand, trying to heal him. He could still remember her soft touch. Could he have prevented all this from happening? He cringed. He should have told her. It was his fault.

His fault. His fault. _His fault._ **His fault**…NO!

His hands gripping red hair tightly, he realized it was indeed his fault, but that it was not too late yet.

Not too late. _Not too late. Not too late._ Not too late….to bring her back.

He just needed to find her and tell her the truth, tell her he was sorry. Then everything would be again as it was once. Right? He would have her back again….

His thoughts were interrupted when the door suddenly opened. He looked up, then scowled.

"You… What do you want?"

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Neji was walking in circles restlessly. He had tried to sleep numerous times, but it didn't work. Somehow his eyes wouldn't stay closed.

_Shit._

First Hinata-sama was kidnapped, then he had to hear from a guard that his uncle had left to Suna without him, and now he was suffering from insomnia. Damn. No wonder Sabaku had once looked so bad when he had that demon in him.

He just **knew** his uncle was planning something; he wasn't a genius for nothing. So Neji decided to find out _what_ exactly the plan was. He smirked. And that was where the hurried departure of Hiashi-sama held its benefit.

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A dark-haired man was wandering through the streets. You couldn't see his face, not even in the streetlight's shining, for he kept his gaze to the ground. Suddenly he raised his head, slowly but determined. The few villagers who were up late, went in their homes quickly or just got out of his way with a scared look when he strolled by.

A streetlight shown upon the stranger's face now, the light reflecting in his dark, blazing eyes. A dangerous, dark aura was radiating off of him as a sickening stench. Suddenly he halted and turned around. A greasy man who was right behind him, had a knife in his hand and looked like he was about to stab, but was frozen. It was clear that he had wanted to rob the stranger.

The blazing black eyes were immediately boring into his green ones. The man dropped the knife, wide-eyed, mouth hanging slightly open. Suddenly he chocked, and his eyes rolled back. Shaking uncontrollably, he fell onto the ground, making spastic movements. The stranger kept looking at him, never saying a single word, never making another move. Soon the man on the ground was motionless, the spastic movements stopped, and so did his heartbeat. The stranger closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the black eyes were turned into brown ones. He turned around and continued his way through the now deserted streets, never looking back at the dead body behind him.

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"Now now, Gaara-sama….please watch your tongue. I just came here to visit you…" the white-eyed man stated cynically.

"At this hour? I severely doubt it…Hyuuga-sama." the redhead sneered, just as sarcastic.

"I didn't want any…interferences."

"Speak up your mind then. I want to sleep…"

Hiashi smirked. He knew just as well as the man who was glaring at him right now that he couldn't sleep, for he was too worried for his beloved wife. He stopped smirking and scowled at the Kazekage.

"All right then, if you want it to be like that… How in the world could you have let my daughter been taken away? Do you know how much _shame_ it called upon our clan?! I **demand** an explanation."

Gaara was seething. That bastard only thought of his own honour and pride! If it wasn't Hinata's father, and the leader of a powerful clan, he had killed him right now.

He glared at the man for a full minute before answering.

"How dare you ask that? You don't even care about her, do you?! Hinata-chan is been kidnapped by Uchiha Sasuke, because **a certain someone **didn't tell the whole truth. I will do anything I can to get her back, so you don't have to come and demand an explanation. Now leave, I don't want so see you anymore."

The Hyuuga clan-leader glared back at him. "This time I will let it pass, but the next time you speak in such a way to me there will be consequences!" Abruptly he turned around and walked away, smacking the door closed in the process.

Gaara stared at the closed door. 'Why did that arrogant bastard come here? He wouldn't travel all the way to Suna just to 'demand an explanation'. There has to be a reason behind it…' He scowled. He didn't trust his _'father-in-law'_ at all.

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Sasuke woke up abruptly, when he felt something move.

A bit disorientated he looked around, but smirked slightly when he saw who had caused the movements. Hinata had been stirring in her sleep, and was lying right in his arms now, snuggling a bit into his shirt. Putting an arm around her waist, the Uchiha closed his eyes again, still smirking.

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It was completely silent at the Hyuuga estate. Everyone was soundly asleep, so there were no maids doing their work or servants running around, and there was most certainly not someone sneaking his way into the office of Hyuuga Hiashi. Right?

Hyuuga Neji smirked. He knew exactly when the guards before his uncle's office were taking a stroll around the house, and exactly when they were coming back again. He had about 15 minutes, more than enough time to sneak in and out of the office.

Patiently he waited for the guards to go away, and after they had left, Neji grabbed his chance. Opening and closing the door behind him carefully, the Hyuuga genius took a look around. Where would he begin? Obviously the desk would be a good start. Taking very soft steps, Neji shuffled to the desk, and after he looked around with his Byakugan, he opened the first drawer. Except for a few papers, a couple of pencils and an eraser, he found nothing. Next one. More papers. He worked through them, but found again nothing interesting. Softly he opened the last drawer, and sweatdropped slightly. How many papers could someone have? Going through all of them, his eye fell on something. He pulled the document out of the pile. Interesting. Why had his uncle a contract signed under a diffrent name? But before he could read more, he heard a voice.

"Hyuuga-san, what are you doing here?"

_Fuck._

The Hyuuga genius was busted.

_**End of chapter eight**_

**A/N: Poor Neji! How is that going to end? Sorry people, another cliff hanger! Don't shoot me, please! I can't update tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow I have to go to school again (cries dramatically), but the good news is: I have homework-free then! Yay! So hopefully I can update Monday. But for now you'll have to do it with chapter eight… Hoped you liked it, and I'll see you soon!!! Oh, and please keep reviewing, I like it very, very, very much! XD **

**Sayonara!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Love at second sight**

**A/N: Oh joy, today was my first school day after the vacation! The teachers were so happy to see us again, so they decided to treat us on lots and lots of homework! Woohoo…- -' Assholes… (sighs) Oh well, at least I can continue with this story for now! And the reviews really made my day again, so thank you very much! XD Chapter nine is here, dedicated to all of those who had to go to school again! Hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer (I forgot it AGAIN, at the previous chapter. I'm such a klutz): Nope. Don't own Naruto & Co!**

**Chapter nine.**

Neji turned to the source of the voice, and came eye to eye with the same guard who wouldn't let him in the other day. He scowled inwardly, but kept his cool on the outside. Not being a genius for nothing, he already came up with a plan. Thank Kami he had developed this technique a couple of weeks ago. Perfect time to test it now.

"Karashin no jutsu." (A/N: means 'empty spirit technique.' I made this one up)

The guard froze. His eyes went wide, as if he couldn't believe what just happened. Neji slowly walked towards him, and stood still before the motionless body. He snapped his fingers and the pupils of the man widened for a couple of seconds, before shrinking to its normal size again. The guard closed his eyes slowly, as if coming to senses.

"Shusin no jutsu." Neji disappeared from the office, leaving the guard behind.

Eyes were opened. "Where am I?" the man asked himself out loud. Confused and completely disorientated he looked around. "Why am I in the office of Hyuuga-sama?"

He sighed. "Probably sleepwalking again. I should've listened to the doctor and just taken those damn pills…"

Outside the office Neji sighed relieved. '_Damn. _That was too close… I have to be more careful next time.'

He scowled before walking to his room. What had that document meant? Why would his uncle use a false name? It didn't make sense to him at all. But he would find out soon enough where the paper was meant for…

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Ah, it was so warm and cosy…

Hinata nuzzled herself into the source of the warmth once again. She wanted to stay like this forever. She didn't know what it exactly was, but she didn't really care. Pulling an arm around the warmth, she suddenly realized something.

'_Since when can you actually embrace warmth?'_

Hinata opened her eyes, and saw quite a sight. The source of warmthness wasn't a hot-water bottle or anything, no, it was a chest.

Of a living creature.

_Of an human being. _

Slowly, very slowly, she looked up. Said human being was staring at her right now, dark eyes holding a tinge of amusement. Shreeking slightly, Hinata jolted up while squirming herself out of a pair of arms, threw the sheets from her body, and ran straight to the bathroom. Smacking the door in the process, she slid down to the ground, her back against the door. Closing her eyes and opening them again, she tried to calm herself a bit, or else she was going to hyperventilate!

Sasuke, who was still lying in bed, had tried to hide his amusement, but now that Hinata had locked herself in the bathroom, he smirked out loud. She was so cute and innocent. He remembered her sleeping without a care in the world, and then she woke up and almost died of a heart-attack. It really was amusing.

Slowly a door creaked open, and a beet-red Hinata came out, trying to act as if nothing happened. Sasuke, who rested his chin in his hand now, kept staring at the blushing girl, just to bug her. Hinata ignored him (well, she tried to) and looked at the ground. Searching for her bag, she murmured a "G-Good morning, S-Sasuke-kun…". The Uchiha groaned a hello in response, and decided to stop bugging her, for she was already embarresed enough. Hinata got her clothes and waltzed straight back into the bathroom again, almost tripping over her own feet in the hurry.

He fell back into the pillow again, still amused. She was so easy to tease.

Looking at the ceiling, he thought about how they had to go further now. Staying here for a week or two wouldn't be a problem, because he had wiped out all of their traces, but sooner or later they had to continue… to the Land of Earth perhaps. Although it wasn't an ally of the Land of Fire, they wouldn't stand out…

His thoughts were interrupted by Hinata, who had come out of the bathroom and was looking at nothing in particular, seemingly also in deep thoughts. Sasuke got out of bed and walked over to her.

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Hinata was thinking. It really was strange. Two days ago she was still in Suna, living with Gaara-kun, Temari-chan and Kankuro-kun… happy and content. She remembered caughting herself on the thought that nothing could go wrong then. And now she was here, in the Land of Rain, in a hotel room with someone she had forgotten, someone from her past. Someone who had loved her more than anything in the world. And still did. How could all of this happen? Was it a twist of fate? A sick joke? Their destiny? She didn't know. It confused her already endlessly right now, so how would it be when she remembered everything again?

Suddenly her vision was blocked. She had been staring at a painting on the wall all the time, but now something, or rater someone, was standing right before it. She looked up.

Sasuke was looking down at her. His black eyes held a cool expression, but she could see the deeper meanings in them, right through the coolness. She saw his very soul.

A warm feeling suddenly overflowed her; the feeling as if she had known him for a very long time. That she could trust him. That she loved him.

So she did the only thing she could think of: she kissed him.

The Uchiha was rather surprised, but responded nontheless.

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"Yoooohoooo!!!!" A knock was heard, Hinata immediately broke away from Sasuke, who scowled. _'_Damnit, it's probably that_ woman _again! I'm really going to kill her someday…'

He glanced at Hinata, who murmured a "Henge no jutsu…". Green eyes looked up at him, as if signalling for him to do the same. Groaning a few curses, he reluctantly transformed himself too. 'Hanatsuki' smiled softly at him before opening the door.

"Ohayo, Yuriko-san…" she greeted the friendly woman before her softly, who didn't seem to notice that a certain husband was glaring a hole in her head.

"Ohayo, Mayumi-san!!! I thought I should let you know that you can eat breakfast downstairs. I made it myself! So if you're hungry…"

Sasuke almost wanted to sneer a: "No, we're not. Goodbye!" and smack the door in her face, but Hinata already answered before he could execute his very tempting plan. "Hai, that sounds good! We'll be downstairs in a minute. Arigatou, Yuriko-san…" Yuriko waved at her and went downstairs. Hinata smiled and closed the door softly. Turning around, she looked at Sasuke, who was twitching. Kami, he seriously **detested **that… that woman!

Hinata either didn't notice (which was quite impossible) or ingored it."Sasuke-kun, are you coming downstairs? Yuriko-san has been friendly enough to make us breakfast…" she said.

"Yeah, _very friendly. _I'm just so **glad **we've chosen this hotel…" Sarcasm dripped off of every single word, but Hinata just smiled brightly. "I know, I'm happy too! I'm glad that you begin to warm up to her, Sasuke-kun…"

He sighed at her naïvety. 'I give up…' "All right, just give me a minute…" She nodded and sat down on the bed, while the Uchiha strolled towards the bathroom, grumbling a few inaudible invectives.

After 15 minutes he was ready (didn't exactly do his best to hurry up) and they left their room. Walking down the stairs, they could already smell the delicious aroma of various dishes. Even Sasuke had to admit it smelled good.

"Ah! There you are! Well, have a seat, and I'll bring you your plates!" Yuriko gestured them to sit down. After they found theirselves a seat, the friendly woman already walked into their direction, two large plates in her hands. Placing them before the couple, they both sweatdropped. These plates were huge! Many kinds of dishes lay on them. Miso soup, rice, various kinds of grilled fish, beans, vegetables and a couple of umboshi (A/N: a type of traditonal Japanese pickle, it's very sour).

Yuriko smiled at their faces. "I know, it's a lot, but I believe you haven't eaten anything when you arrived yesterday, ne? So, eat up, don't be shy!"

Hinata smiled to her. "Arigatou, Yuriko-san!" The woman nodded friendly to the both of them and left. Hinata turned to Sasuke. "Ah, she's so nice…" she smiled brightly now. Sasuke, upon seeing Hinata's happy expression, decided to say nothing nasty. Hinata really seemed to like the woman.

"Let's eat."

Hinata nodded, and grabbed her chopsticks. Carefully they took the first bite. It tasted very good.

After a while they were finished. Or rather, Hinata was finished. Sasuke kept on eating. 'I have to admit, it tastes good. But I rather bite my tongue off than to say that out loud…' He looked at Hinata's plate. "Are you going to eat that?" He pointed to the fish that was left. Hinata, a bit suprised at the amount of food Sasuke could eat, shook her head. "Y-You can h-have it…"

"Arigatou." Without further waiting he grabbed a piece of fish from Hinata's plate with his chopsticks.

Hinata was surprised. The guy was a bodemless well! Who could've known that? As soon as she thought that, the sound of chopsticks clattering was heard. She looked up.

"I'm full," her husband declared. Hinata just nodded, too shocked to say anything.

As if on cue, Yuriko came their way. "I see that it has tasted you! I'm glad… Well, this was from the house, since you have arrived just the other day."

"A-Ah no, that is…"

"Arigatou, we'll be going then. Thanks for the meal." Sasuke dragged his 'wife' with him, while Yuriko stared after them, a bit surprised. "Those kids of today…" She mumbled softly, taking the plates with her to the kitchen.

Outside Hinata pulled her wrist out of the grip of Sasuke and looked at him. He turned around. Upon seeing her facial expression, he said defensively: "What? She said it was from the house."

"Sas-Shigeru-kun, you w-were quite r-rude…"

"Whatever. Come on, let's go." He grabbed her hand again.

"Where t-to?"

"Just walking."

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"Good morning, Kazekage-sama! How are you now?" A very happy and jumpy nurse stood beside his bed. The redhead glared at her, but she didn't seem to notice. He scowled. He didn't like this kind of people. The world wasn't a place full of daisies and bunnies! he answered nontheless, or else he would never get rid of this...**person.**

"Fine."

"That's good, because I have great news! The day after tomorrow you may leave the hospital!" At this his eyes widened, the scowl disappeared. The nurse just smiled her I-know-what's-the-best-for-you-smile at him. "But you still have to take it easy, because…"

"I don't care. Can you get my siblings. Please."

The nurse nodded and left his room.

Gaara smiled a little for the first time in two days.

"I'll come for you, Hinata, just hold on…"

He didn't even notice that someone was looking at him, hidden in a tree. Only his dark-brown eyes were visible.

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Neji opened his eyes slowly and closed them immediately again.

_Fuck it._

He hadn't slept at all. Well, maybe for an hour or so, but that wasn't enough! His sensitive skin needed a good night's rest! He sighed depressively. Well, nothing to do about it. It was his own fault, sneaking around in the compound in the middle of the night… But at least he had found something. Now to find out what it meant…

He got out of bed, dressed himself, and went downstairs. Hanabi was already sitting at the table, happily eating her breakfast. Neji sat down as well.

"Nii-san, what's the matter? You don't look too good." his cousin asked, upon seeing the bags under his eyes. She received a death-glare that already said enough.

'Geez, aren't we mister Sunshine today?' Hanabi thought sarcastically, but decided to not say it out loud. Neji would probably eat her for breakfast if she did that. She shoved her own breakfast inside en went away from her brooding cousin as soon as possible. If Neji was pissed, you could do only one thing; Run away as fast as you can.

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Neji didn't even notice it when his cousin left. A servant put a plate of food in front him, and relucantly he took a bite: he hated eating in the morning with a passion.

_**End of chapter nine**_

**A/N: Who is watching Gaara? Where are Sasuke and Hinata going to? And is Neji ever going to find a cure against his morning crossness? You can read it in the next chapter! XD **

**Haha, just kidding. Well, this was chapter nine, hope you liked it! Not too exciting, but hey…I'm a little tired of going to school all day, and tomorrow Mathematics! Urch… That's my worst subject, I just hate it! And the teacher is a bone-head... But my I-pod will get me through! Yay for technology:) I'll try to update soon, but be warned though: I have to go to school again, so it'll go a bit slower!!!**

**Sayonara!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Love at second sight**

**A/N: Yay!!! FINALLY I've updated again! Sorry it took long…. I'm really happy right now, it's weekend!!! Woohoo! I love weekend. I even have made it through maths!!! That's, like, a total miracle…We started with a new chapter and after 5 minutes (from the 40-something… --' ) of explaining I gave up on listening. I just don't get it! (sighs) But anyways, thank you all so much who reviewed! Four reviews from one person, thank you so much, mekhi! XD Reikotsu, I'm already happy that you reviewed again, so it's Ok you didn't review on Monday… :) And StarlightDemonFiresong, I know how you are feeling! I'm not much of a morning person either…;P Well, here's chapter ten, hope you like it!!!**

**Disclaimer: Me: Do I really have to say it? Neji: Yes, you do. Me (sighs): all right… Don't own Naruto… Happy now? Neji: (nods)**

**Chapter 10.**

A happy squeal was heard.

"You mean you're out of here in two days? That's great, Gaara-kun!"

"Yeah, but I'm gonna miss this visiting, that nurse back there was kinda hot…"

"…"

"…"

"What! Don't look at me like that!"

"…"

"Just…shut up."

"All right all right, geez… You don't have to glare at me that scary…"

"But anyways Gaara-kun, as I was saying, _before Mr. Stud here interrupted me, _I'm happy for you! Now we can go and find Hinata-chan soon! So don't worry, everything's going to be OK!"

"I think I'm going to call myself Mr. Stud from now on, it sounds better than Kinky Kankuro…Thanks, sis!"

"…"

"…Get out."

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"S-Shigeru-kun, where a-are we going…?"

The Uchiha turned to the source of the timid voice. He realized he had been dragging her with him all the way long. Kind of. "It's a surprise. You'll like it."

She just nodded shyly, but she was a bit curious. Where was he taking her? She couldn't imagine Sasuke bringing her to a romantic place or something. But hey, one can be mistaken. So she decided to just follow the stoic man in front of her, while looking around. She smiled softly. 'I like it here…' she said to herself. Always a child of nature, Hinata loved plants, especially flowers. And Amegakure definitely was a place with flowers. Many floral wonders were growing aside the street they were currently walking on, and not a single person but her seemed to even notice the beautiful plants. Carefully squirming her hand out of the grasp of her husband, the girl ran to a certain white flower, which seemed to glow in the sunlight that was shining upon it. Kneeing before it, trying to not absorb the sunlight, she touched it carefully.

"It's so beautiful…" Hinata sighed, happy to be able to see such a flower. She looked at it again, but the flower was disappeared in the shadows now. She didn't turn around, thinking it would be Sasuke who was standing behind her.

"What are you doing here all alone, missy? Looking for some company?" Gruff laughter was heard. Hinata did turn around now. There standing wasn't Sasuke, but a greasy man with small eyes, who was looking at her with a stare filled with lust. But Hinata, being the naïve and kind woman that she is, smiled kindly at the guy.

"A-Ah no, I'm f-fine…Arigatou…"

"And so shy too!" The man took a step closer, reaching out his hand. A scared Hinata took a step back now: this man had never heard of 'personal space'! He grinned at her fearful look. "Don't be scared, sweetie! Why don't you come with me and…"

A rather harsh tap on his shoulder stopped him. When he turned around to teach the person who'd dare to interrupt him a lesson, his eyes met blazing dark ones, glaring daggers at him.

"Actually, she's with me. So why don't you fuck off before I'll kick you to the other side of the country." Sasuke was very pissed right now. Some creep dared to snuck up on Hinata and harass her! If that ass was in his way for three more seconds, he would fucking kill him.

"Hey man, what's your problem? I only tried to be…"

"Get. out. of. my. sight. **Now.**"

Shrinking under the heated glare, the man scurried away, glancing several times behind his back before disappearing into the crowd.

Sasuke, who was looking at the retreating form of the bastard, turned his face to Hinata. His eyes softened, but his voice sounded stern when he grabbed her hand and led her away from the flower, safely in his company. "Don't walk away like that ever again."

Hinata flinched a little. "G-Gomen… I-I just saw th-this pretty f-flower and I wanted t-to see it from u-up close…"

The Uchiha sighed. She was so naïve. "I know, just… don't go just anywhere without warning me again." He glanced at her again. She looked at bit sad. He mentally hit himself. Now she was upset! He had to make it right. "…We're almost there now…"

Her head shot up, a genuine smile on her lips. "Really? I'm excited! Can you tell me now where we are going?"

He smirked. Hinata was a child in a candy store when it came to surprises. "No, you'll have to be patient."

Pouting a little, she tugged his shirt. "But I want to know…"

His smirk went wider. "Well, if you really want to know…"

Excitement shined clearly in her eyes. "Yes?"

"Go look over there…" He pointed into the direction of a pond, surrounded by….you can guess it: many, MANY flowers.

Letting go of his hand once more, Hinata ran to the fountain with a soft squeal. Standing right before the large pond, she gaped in awe. This had to be one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen.

In the middle of the pond was a huge sculpture of an angel who held a vase in its hand, water flowing out of it in little streams. The statue was surrounded by more sculptures, mainly animals that lived in the rainforest, but a few foreign ones too. Around the pond were many flowers, in almost every colour you can imagine. Hinata wandered around the pond a few times, still with the same exciting look in her eyes.

Sasuke, who sat on a bench a few foot further, grinned while he was looking at Hinata. He knew that she liked flowers. Many years ago, even before the accident, he had seen the same look in her eyes that she had right now.

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_Flashback._

I glanced at her and mentally cringed.

She was so sad.

The look in her eyes, it was…heart wrenching.

She looked up at me, tears shimmering in her milky eyes. "D-Do you a-a-also think I-I'm a f-failure, S-S-Sasuke-kun…?" Her voice broke.

Slowly I put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her shivering body against mine.

"No. You're not a failure. Don't listen to that bastard."

Hinata just sobbed, clutching onto my shirt as if she wanted to hide in it.

I scowled. Hinata didn't deserve this sadness, she deserved happiness. She deserved a warm, real family. She deserved a father who wouldn't put her down every time she was near him.

'That fucking bastard…' I growled inwardly. 'I wish I could kill him, and that whole fucking family also. But Hinata would never let me; she still loves them, even when they tried to do **that **to her.'

I still couldn't believe it.

Hinata had almost been disowned. By her _own father _nonetheless. Well, if you could call him a father. Kurenai was always more of a parent for Hinata than that ass ever had been. He had always treated her like dirt, but now he had done something that was truly unforgiving.

He had tried to put the seal on her.

And he had succeeded if it weren't for Tsunade-sama. The Hokage had stopped Hiashi before he could execute his horrendous plan. She had yelled at him that Hinata was one of the best kunoichi she had ever seen, and that she truly possessed the potential to become the heir of the Hyuuga-clan. And that she would never let him disown Hinata.

Hiashi had scowled, and had let Hinata go, promising he wouldn't disown her. Tsunade had left, saying she would watch him. After that there wasn't said anything about the event anymore, as if it'd never even happened.

But Hiashi still treated Hinata like dirt, calling her a failure. And Hinata still believed him. And now she was here, with him, crying about the things her own father had said to her as if she were nothing.

I truly didn't know what to do. I wanted to gut Hiashi. I wanted to convince Hinata that she wasn't a failure. I wanted her to be happy.

And then it hit me.

_Flowers._

Hinata adored flowers. Every day when she walked past the flower shop of the Yamanaka's, she halted right before the shop-window and peeked inside. After two minutes or so she would stroll further, happy for being able to see such beautiful flowers.

Perfect.

"Hinata-chan, wait here." Carefully I stood up, not wanting to let her go.

She looked up at me, cheeks red from trying to wipe the tears away. "W-Where are y-you going?"

I just smirked. "I'll be back in five minutes. Don't go anywhere."

She nodded, and I left her, proceeding my way to the Yamanaka flower shop.

Soon I halted before a small shop and went inside.

As I stepped inside, a bell was heard and a blonde woman came my way.

"Hello! How can I help you, sir?"

I mentally cringed. Kami, the woman sounded just like her (very annoying) daughter.

"I'm just looking..."

The woman nodded. "All right sir. Please call me if you need anything."

She went to the back of the shop, leaving me alone. I looked around.

_Shit. _

'What am I supposed to do now? I'm not really good with this stuff…' I groaned as I walked through the whole shop. I was about to shout something vulgar when my eye fell on something white.

I smiled.

'White. That suits Hinata…'

I called for the woman from before. As soon as she came I pointed to the white flowers. "What are those…?"

The woman followed with her eyes the direction to where I was pointing and smiled. "Ah. Those are lilies. They stand for innocence and purity, and undying love."

I nodded. Perfect. "Those will do."

As soon as I had paid, I left the shop with a large bouquet and went back to Hinata.

I spotted her from far away, sitting on a bench, a bit huddled up, not noticing I was coming. Halting right before her, I coughed a little. She looked up.

Her eyes went wide from surprise.

"Oh!"

She jumped up, gently touching the fragile flowers.

"They are beautiful…Are they… for me…?"

"Hn."

Hinata looked up at me, and again her expression hit me in the heart.

The look on her face… she looked so happy, so thankful… so beautiful…

_End Flashback_

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Sasuke laughed a little. It was a good idea to bring her here. Hinata would probably never want to leave this place anymore.

After a half an hour Hinata came back, a single white flower in her hands. She placed it in the Uchiha's lap, smiling softly.

"For you."

_**End chapter ten**_

**A/N: Awwwww, wasn't that cute? (squeals) I hoped you enjoyed it also, though it wasn't very long… But it'll do, ne? I will have it quite busy this week, but I hope to update soon.**

**Sayonara!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: Oii, you guys!!!! I just recently found out I can actually answer your reviews! I mean, personally, not in the A/N-thingie… I checked my e-mail yesterday, and I got a shitload of e-mails in one day!!! I thought nothing of it, and erased them… - -' (smacks forehead) How stupid could you be!!!! I'm really, really sorry, but I'll try to answer you all from now on!!! So… review, please? (puppy dog-eyes) Oh, and Reikotsu, thanks for your review! I didn't even realize halve of my mistakes, so I uploaded chapter ten again! You didn't sound too critical! And of course: all the others who reviewed, thank you very much also! XD I'm so happy that you all like it! **

**Chapter eleven**

Neji scowled.

_Damn._

Hiashi-sama was back again. He couldn't sniffle around just like that anymore. The Hyuuga genius had to think of something else, considering the fact that his uncle almost slept in his office, always busy with paperwork and such. Tsch. Workaholic.

"Neji-sama. Hiashi-sama calls for you."

Hm. Speaking of the devil.

"Hai. I'll go right now."

Walking towards the office, Neji noticed that the servants were quite nervous. That could only mean two things. One: Dinner was burned, or two: Hiashi-sama was **not** in a good mood. Considering the events that had been happening, it was probably the latter.

Standing before the door he knocked three times, guards eyeing his every move. "Hiashi-sama. May I come in?"

He heard a low grumble and a "Yes, you have permission to enter."

He stepped inside and looked at Hiashi, who was sitting behind his desk, looking a bit…angry. He looked up from his papers to Neji. Well, more like glared.

"Neji, as you can see I'm back from Suna…"

'Or so I noticed,' Neji thought dryly, but decided to not say it out loud, for his uncle was already pissed enough. "How was Gaara-sama?"

"The Kazekage was convalescent. At least, I think so, for he was quite rude. He's the same as before."

"That's…nice. But did you call me only to tell me this, uncle?"

White eyes narrowed. "No, there was something else…"

Neji looked as his uncle's expression changed from angry to quite dangerous. He mentally scowled. That wasn't too good. If he had found out about his little… investigation, then…

"I would appreciate it if you stayed away from my business, Neji. I'll keep an eye on you, so be warned. Next time I may not be so… _forgiving._" White eyes still narrowed, Hiashi kept glaring, silently treating him.

_Shit._

He **did **find out.

Silently raging on the inside, but completely stoic on the outside, the Hyuuga genius bowed. He knew it was for the best if he kept silent about this whole matter. "Can I go now?"

Hiashi nodded, while glaring at him. "You may leave."

Neji turned and left the office as fast as he could walk.

He didn't know how his uncle found out, but now he **really **had to be careful. Hiashi hided something, and it was most certainly not something positive.

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A single white flower was standing on the desk.

Dark eyes were fixed on it, as if they were in a trance.

The Uchiha was troubled.

How the hell was he going to tell Hinata about his previous… **job**? He didn't know at all. Now that he was alone, for Hinata had left to do some groceries, he had time to contemplate about it.

He didn't really think about it lately, but since she gave him that flower, he remembered it again.

_Damn it._

How could he tell her? How could he tell her they were in danger? How could he tell her he had killed people? How could he tell her… what he was?

He didn't know the answer. But what he did know was that he had to confess it soon, before it was too late. He couldn't keep the truth from her forever.

But how **should **he tell her?

A creak was heard. "Sasuke-kun, I'm back…"

He had to tell her… now. Now or never.

"Hinata-chan, we need to talk…"

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Black-ringed eyes gazed out of the window, looking at nothing in particular.

'_Hinata…' _

When would he see her again? Smell her again? Hold her again? He missed her so much, that his heart ached. Many years ago, it would be an unknown feeling to him, but when he met Hinata, everything changed. Including his feelings. And now he felt _this._

The feeling as if she wasn't his anymore. He could barely take it. Her screams haunted him in his dreams, he saw her face everywhere he looked, and he could smell her every second of the day.

He had to find her. He had to find **him**. In two days he was out of this place and then he could begin the hunt…

…for Uchiha Sasuke.

Leafs rustled.

Snapped out of his thoughts, the redhead looked outside. There was no wind. But he knew for sure he had heard something. Seeing nothing, his gaze wandered off to the sky again.

'Probably a bird or something…'

Again a movement was heard. Sand flared up now, ready to attack anyone who would try something funny.

A piece of fabric, stuck in a branch, got his attention. His hand reached out, grains of sand moved towards the cloth. Jerking it roughly from the branch, Gaara brought the piece of texture to himself, throwing it on his bed. Picking it up, he sniffed at the dark cloth.

_Blood._

It smelled of blood. Dark… liquid… pure…red… blood.

Old feelings flared through him again, overwhelmed him again.

Hunger.

_Hunger._

**Hunger.**

Green eyes widened a little. Gripping his hair, Gaara chanted a few words to himself as a mantra. "No. No. No. No. Shukaku is gone. Shukaku is gone. I…. can control myself…."

Lifting a shaking hand up, he crushed the piece of fabric with his sand until almost nothing was left of it, except for a few small threads. The smell of blood still attacking all of his senses, he tried to calm himself a little.

"I can control myself….. no…. no…. I can control myself…."

Little by little the scent faded away. Breathing heavily, Gaara slowly let go of his hair. Head spinning thoroughly, he fell backwards onto his white pillow.

Whoever it was…

whoever had been watching him…

was no good.

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Temari sighed.

Looking at her idiotic brother who tried to hit on the nurse for the seventieth time, she grumbled a curse and went to the coffee machine.

"Damn, I need some caffeine..."

Beeping in the code for a cappuccino-extra-creamy, she leaned against the large dispenser, looking at the ground.

'Hinata-chan… Where are you?'

She sighed again. Her sister-in-law was away for too long. Not only did she miss her, but someone else too. Every time she and Kankuro were visiting Gaara, they could notice the heavy atmosphere. Gaara seemed to blame himself for what had happened, and everyone who knew him, knew that he couldn't take the feeling of guilt for very long. Sooner or later he would break down.

Kankuro and she were in the waiting room, waiting for the visiting hour to begin.

Temari looked at the large clock, which was hanging above the doorway.

15 more minutes.

_Fuck._

She didn't want to visit her brother. It wasn't like she didn't love him, it was just…

…he was so sad.

She couldn't handle it very good. It was hard for her, and for Kankuro too, to see their brother being torn apart by guilt. In their childhood she had been too afraid for him to hold him, soothe him, tell him that it was okay. After Shukaku was dispersed from him, she had vowed to never let her little brother be sad again, but …

she had failed.

And she hated herself for that.

Suddenly she felt someone tap her shoulder. Looking up, the fan-user met the kabuki-painted face of her other brother.

"Oy, sis, your cappuccino is ready for a while now…"

Temari turned and grabbed the cup out of the machine. Sipping from it, she scowled a little.

Damn. It was lukewarm. She hated lukewarm cappuccino.

Karma. That had to be it. It was always karma in the end.

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Hinata was walking through the streets of Amegakure yet again. After they had come back, she had noticed there wasn't anything to eat or do. So she decided to go and get some groceries. Sasuke grudgingly had let her go, under the condition she stayed close by.

She really liked it here. Although Amegakure wasn't the same place as Suna or Konoha, it was a really nice place. And the people were all so friendly! It was just too bad they had to leave soon again…

Hinata really wondered what it was that put them in danger. Sasuke had never spoken about it again, but she still wondered about it. Maybe she should ask him about it…

Opening the door of their hotel, she waved warmly at Yuriko, who was behind the desk, cleaning everything thoroughly. The large woman smiled widely and waved back frantically, before going back to cleaning again.

Smiling, Hinata walked up to the stairs. Carefully she took her steps, cautiously to not let her bags fall.

Standing still before the door, Hinata placed one bag down and grabbed the key of their room with her free hand. Finally finding it, she put the thing in the lock, turned it around and pulled the door open with a creak.

"Sasuke-kun, I'm back…"

She saw him sitting on the bed, staring so intently at the flower she had given him as if he wanted to burn a hole in it. At the sound of her voice, the Uchiha looked up.

Directing his gaze to her, he opened his mouth slowly.

"Hinata-chan, we need to talk…"

The plastic bag with groceries was put onto the ground carefully.

Transforming in herself again, she directed her white eyes onto the seemingly stoic man in front of her.

But Hinata knew better.

Something was troubling him.

"Y-Yes, what is it?"

He sighed. "Sit down, please…"

Silently she walked over to him, placing herself next to him. Inwardly asking herself what was wrong, Hinata looked the Uchiha in the eyes again.

"Hinata…"

Silence.

There was really something that was bothering him. He could always come out of his words, except when he was nervous. And he was very nervous right now. She could see it in his eyes. Deep in those black pools laid worriedness, and an emotion she couldn't directly place.

"You know we are in danger, right…?"

She nodded.

"I haven't told you why…"

Shaking her head a little, Hinata was curious now.

"I don't know how to tell you this, but I have to say it…"

Closing his mouth again, he turned away from her, looking at the wall in front of him.

"I am a bad person…"

White eyes widened a little. What was he saying? "No… no, you're not…"

He put a hand on her lips, still not looking at her. It was almost as if he was afraid to look at her.

"I killed people…many people…"

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He felt her stiffen.

Inwardly he could stab himself right in the heart, but he _had_ to tell her. If she found out from someone else, she would never trust him again.

Hell, she probably would want to never even **see** him again. Let alone talk to him.

But it was so fucking hard.

He didn't want to continue, but now that he had started, he had to finish it too. Finally looking her in the eyes, he opened his mouth again.

"I was an assassin. For two years, I've worked for a man named Kenji Yokohama, and killed human beings who never had done anything to me…"

Hinata shot up and stumbled away from him, a look of fear and hurt in her eyes. When she was at the door, her hand reached out to the door-handle, but his hand stopped her. Sasuke pulled her away from the door and sat down, dragging Hinata down with him while putting her softly next to him.

Never letting her hand go, he spoke further. "Please listen to me…" Silently begging her to stay, he looked at her. Eyes still sad, Hinata nodded.

"When I thought you were… dead, I held no feelings anymore, except the constant feeling of sadness and guilt. I could not forgive myself for what had happened to you, and I hated the person that I was. Trying to forget everything, I drank myself completely numb every night.

And in one of those nights, I met Kenji Yokohama. After he had questioned me he asked if I wanted to do a few 'cleaning-jobs' for him, and I said yes. After I got the addresses of the victims and killed them, I still felt nothing. But the guilt was fading away also. So after that night I continued assassinating people, because it helped me to forget the guilt, and slowly I climbed up until the point I became the top-ranked assassin.

I was content with that life, cared for nothing in the world. And then…I got **that **mission…"

After that the Uchiha was silent for a while, as if being in deep thought. Should he really tell Hinata this? But he decided he had to. She had the right to know.

Looking straight into her eyes, he continued.

"I was ordered to kill the Kazekage of Suna and his wife…"

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_**End of chapter eleven.**_

**A/N: Well, that was chapter 11!!! Hope you liked it! Sasuke was a bit OOC, I know, but I couldn't think of another way to let him tell Hinata the truth… I'm going to stop now, for _Donnie Darko _is on TV and I have always wanted to see that movie! Woopie!!! XD Please review!!!! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Love at second sight**

**A/N: (grumbles) I got ANOTHER insufficient mark for Maths…T-T GAH!!! I hate it!!!! X( And to make it worse, thanks to this, I have gotten a computer-limit! (cries out loudly) I think I'm going to believe in karma too, because I must have done something terrible in my previous life to deserve this shit… But: at least I can continue my story! XD But be warned: I have a computer-limit now, so it'll probably go even slower…- -' Sorry, you guys… **

**Anyways, please enjoy this chapter! Hope you like it. :D**

**Chapter twelve.**

Temari gulped.

And gulped another time.

The visiting hour had started. Right now she was standing right in front of the door of room number 409, otherwise known as the room of the Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara. Her brother.

Her other, quite nervous, sibling was standing behind her, pushing her to go in first.

Slowly she raised her hand, knocking softly. "Gaara-kun? It's us, Temari and Kankuro…"

No answer.

For the second time she knocked, a little louder this time. "Can we come in?"

Still no answer.

Impatient now, Temari 'carefully' banged on the door. "Gaara-kun!"

Suddenly there was a dangerous growl heard from inside the room. It was only for a few seconds, but both Temari and Kankuro had heard it very clearly. They could practically slice the thick tension that radiated from behind the closed door in front of them with a knife.

Temari gulped for the third time while Kankuro slowly took a step backwards. "Errrr…. sis, is it okay if I go another time? I mean, it's clear that he's a bit, uhm... _stressy_ now, and as a guy I can't handle emotional problems very well… You're much better with that, so, errrrr…. See ya!" And with that he took off, with an amazing speed as well.

Temari slightly sweatdropped at the stupid behaviour of her retarded brother, and turned slowly towards the suddenly very large and scary door. Lifting her now shaking hand once again, she grabbed the golden-coloured knob, turned it, and opened the door. Afraid to go in, the blonde stopped herself. 'What do I do now?' she asked herself silently.

'_No_.' Temari reprimanded herself suddenly. 'I will not be afraid of Gaara. He's my brother…' And with that thought she stepped inside.

_Damn. _

_It's dark here. _

The curtains were closed so tightly that there wasn't even a tiny stream of light shining through them. Temari squeezed her eyes until they were small slits and could slightly distinguish the silhouette of her brother, lying very still in his bed.

"Gaara-kun?" Temari cautiously asked the motionless form. "Are you all right?"

Even in the dark she could see the lime-green eyes that were suddenly focused on her now. Feeling a shudder going through her spine, Temari stayed were she was to not anger him further. It was clear to her that someone, or something, had provoked him. She could hear the sand hiss a little. Not a good sign.

The form moved a little and finally spoke in a very low, almost inaudible voice. "Someone has been watching me…"

Temari was shocked. "Watching you? What do you mean? The Uchiha? Or…"

"A perilous person." Gaara's solemn voice interrupted her.

She stayed silent. 'An unknown person? And _Gaara_ calls him perilous? Well, in that case he's probably **really** dangerous… But is that why Gaara-kun is so…gloomy?'

"How… How do you know he's dangerous? Did he have a strange chakra?"

Again it was silent. Temari, feeling her brother's aura growing darker and darker, decided to not press the issue further. But just as she opened her mouth to say that she would leave now, she was stopped by his voice.

"He smelled like blood... the blood of many people…"

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She couldn't believe it.

She just couldn't.

She **refused** to believe that the person next to her had been ordered to….

_kill_ her and Gaara-kun…

Tears slowly started to form in opal white eyes.

Why?

_Why _was this happening to her?

Did she do something wrong?

Had she said something to provoke the Gods?

She didn't know.

"I-I just c-can't understand i-i-it…"

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"I-I just c-can't understand i-i-it…"

Sasuke looked up, at the shaking form next to him. His hand reached out to her, but she flinched away. Sadly, he withdrew. "There's nothing to understand. I just… got the mission and I would have succeeded in it too, if it weren't… if it weren't for you…"

Tears flowing freely now, she glanced at him, silently asking him what he meant.

He noticed. "I recognized you, Hinata… After those two long years, I saw you again… and still loved you. I couldn't kill the only person I truly loved. Could you?"

Silently Hinata shook her head.

Carefully leaning against him, she sighed softly. "No, I c-couldn't, never…"

Before he could hold her, she seceded from him once again and slowly got up to her feet. Still shaking a little, she turned to the dark-haired man who was staring at her.

"I-I have to… I mean, I-I need…a-alone time… have to th-think about a-all of t-this…" Stuttering a few more incoherent words, she wiped the tears away from her now red cheeks, turning away from the Uchiha again.

"I-I'll be b-back…" Stumbling to the door, Hinata was stopped. The Uchiha had grabbed her wrist and looked her in the eyes as she glanced at him, a bit shocked. His dark orbs looked like they almost held a tinge of desperation. "Promise it." He hoarsely whispered.

"I promise…" she whispered back and carefully slid her wrist out of his grip.

The door was closed suddenly.

Sasuke stared at it for what seemed like an eternity. He wanted to run after her, tell her he loved her, begging for her to stay, but he didn't. He stayed right where he was, on that little spot on the floor. Cursing himself to Hell.

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Oh yes, Neji was very, **very **content with himself.

He had a plan.

After all, he wasn't a genius for nothing.

If it weren't for his modesty, he would have patted himself on the back for sure.

But enough about Neji's modesty and genius plans:

Let's continue with the execution of the latter.

"Hiashi-sama, I have to go to the Hokage's office. She called me for a secret mission. Do I have permission to leave?"

"Yes, you may go." A hand waved languidly in his direction, signalling for him to leave.

"Arigatou, Hiashi-sama." And with that he left the Hyuuga compound, almost grinning at his own intelligence.

In five minutes he was at the office and waltzed straight in, not caring for the shocked looks of the bystanders and the yells of the receptionist. Knocking on the door that read 'Hokage' in scrappy letters, he called. "Tsunade-sama, can I come in, please? I have a request."

The tinkling of bottles was heard and after a couple of minutes the slurred voice of a certain drunken Hokage anwered him. "Yes, yes, come in…"

Neji walked in and scowled slightly: a strong smelling, nauseating wave of alcohol filled his nostrils and he was almost knocked down by it.

Tsunade smiled, or more likely, grimaced at the Hyuuga genius and gestured for him to sit down. "Well, what issit that you tanted me to walk about…?"

He took a deep breath before answering: if he inhaled too much here, he would fall off of his chair. "As I said: I have a request. Now that Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara has been attacked and his wife has been… kidnapped, someone of Konoha should investigate it there. It would be only normal to help an ally, and since Hinata-sama is my family, I would appreciate it if you send me there…"

Tsunade nodded. "I understand it, Hyuuga… You have my… permission. Leave wlithin two hourrrs. You know what to do, right..?" Slurring a bit, she grabbed the closest bottle and gulped a huge draught out of it. Neji took it as a permission to leave and slightly bowed. "Arigatou, Tsunade-sama. I'll be going then."

Turning around, he left the office as fast as he could. Step one of his plan was successfully executed. Step two would follow soon…

"You just wait, Uchiha… I'll be hunting your ass down…"

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"So, you're saying that there was someone dangerous creeping around here? With a bloodied cloak?" Kankuro shuddered slightly.

Damn, first the Uchiha, and now a blood-sucking vampire / werewolf / zombie or something like that… Great. Just great. Life couldn't get any better.

"Yeah, Gaara was pretty pissed about it… If even he says the guy is dangerous, we really have to watch out. But our number one priority right now is finding Hinata-chan. And that creep is probably miles away from here now…"

Temari sighed deeply. "Look, let's go home. Tomorrow we'll talk about this some more…" She began walking towards the exit, signalling for her sibling to come as well. When he didn't come, the fan-kunoichi turned around and saw her brother flirting with nurse number 73.

A vein appeared on her forehead. "Get your ass down here right **now**, Kankuro! It's late and I want to go home!" Sending her patented deathly-sister-glare to her poor brother, Temari waited, foot tapping impatiently. The nurse made sure she wasn't near the angry female and hastily walked away.

Kankuro strolled towards his sister obediently, while sighing depressively. "Coming, coming!"

He grumbled. "Great, now I'll have to deal with two werewolves…" He made sure the werewolf in front of him, a.k.a. his sister, didn't hear that last part.

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Small footsteps were heard through the streets of Amegakure.

Hyuuga Hinata shivered a little: it was late, almost night. The darkness began to rise slowly, while the temperature descended.

But she didn't care.

She wanted to be alone and think.

Think about everything that had happened in the last few days.

Think about everything that was told to her.

Think about what to do next.

"Gaara-kun…" she whispered softly. She missed him. She missed everyone. She longed for Suna. Hinata always had the tendency to be homesick, even in her earliest childhood memories she could remember how she had cried every time her mother left to do groceries or something else. Most of the time she didn't even want to cry, but somehow she always did. But only when she was alone. If her father was near, he would scold her harshly for being such a baby. But no matter how hard he yelled at her, she would always cry, even it was just for a bit, when her mother left.

But when she died, Hinata had no more tears left. She was so sad, but couldn't cry. She had tried to shed some tears, but her eyes wouldn't cooperate. Even when she was standing next to her father, looking at her mothers' gravestone, not a single tear would come out.

And now, many years later, it was the same again. No matter how much she missed Gaara, no matter how much she longed to be in Suna again, no matter how much she wanted to cry because of Sasuke, no tears would be shed. Not even when she wanted to.

It was strange, really.

To be able to cry only when you don't want to.

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Hinata was so lost in thought, that she didn't notice that she wasn't the only one on the normally deserted streets. Another pair of footsteps was right behind her, echoing hollow. However, she did notice when the breath of someone tingled on her neck.

Gasping, she turned around and her eyes met small grey ones. The same man from this morning was grinning at her, baring his yellow teeth.

"Sooooo, we meet again, missy!"

He slowly neared, while the frightened girl took a step backwards.

And another one.

And another one.

She turned around again, and began to run. Right now she didn't want to fight, especially not against that creepy guy who looked quite strong too. The only thing she wanted right now was to be alone. She ignored the shouting behind her, and began to run even harder when she heard the same footsteps again, also in a fast pace. Coming closer and closer, the greasy man reached out to grab her hand. Hinata jerked away and fled into an alley.

Wrong move.

Halting right before the dead end, Hinata attempted to dodge and move around the man, but it held no avail: She was cornered now.

Damn.

The tears came again.

Slowly she turned to the man, while trying to wipe the tears away. "P-Please, Sir, l-l-leave me a-alone…"

The man laughed hoarsely. "And leave such a cutie? I don't think so. Why don't you come with me? You look awfully alone tonight…"

His hand reached out again, and this time he did get her small hand. She tried to pull away, but the man wouldn't let go. "Go a-away!" she cried now, trying to sound brave.

Clearly it didn't work, the man laughed even louder this time. "Oh, she's getting mad now! You don't have to be afraid sweetie, I won't do anything."

His face neared slowly and stopped only inches from hers. "Now how 'bout a kiss?"

He didn't get a peck on the lips, but he did receive a smack in the face.

Yelling out loud, he took a step backwards while holding the sore spot where Hinata had hit him. After his shouting faded, his grey eyes narrowed. "You little bitch! You'll pay for that…"

Even before Hinata had the time to get in a defending stance, the man had hit her very hard. She fell with her head against the wall and collapsed on the cold ground. With her sight completely blurry, she could barely distinguish the form of the man, bending over her.

"Now, no struggling anymore."

He reached out again, and caressed her cheek. Just as Hinata wanted to let out a scream, she saw another form coming in her sight, right behind the other man. A wave of pure horror suddenly rolled over her; it made her even more nauseating than she already was. She didn't know why, but this newcomer didn't feel good. He felt pure evil; dark aura was radiating off of him as a deathly plague.

She felt the rough hand freeze on her cheek.

"What do you want?! Don't you see I'm…"

The gruff voice suddenly stopped. She could feel the dark aura almost consume her, while the sound of someone choking echoed through the dark alley. Then there was something right next to her, making spastic movements. Hinata tried to see what it was, but her sight was still blurred and her head was still spinning. The contours of the other man neared, and panicked she tried to get away, but a strong hand already gripped her neck tightly.

"So, Hyuuga Hinata…"

'He knows… who I am? Even with… the Henge no jutsu…?' Getting sleepier and sleepier, she tried to raise her spinning head and fight against the hand around her neck, but failed.

The last thing she saw before darkness engulfed her completely were blazing black eyes, staring intensely into her white ones.

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_**End of chapter twelve**_

**A/N: Arggghhh! Another cliff hanger! Sorry!! XO** **(dodges a couple of shoes and forks) i really am! But it seemed like a good end...**

**Anyways, I hope you liked it! Considering it'll go even slower now (grumbles), it'll probably take a little longer before chapter thirteen arrives… But I'll really try to update as soon as possible! But for now,**

**sayonara!!! XD **


	13. Chapter 13

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: Sorry everyone, for not updating for a while!**

**angry mob: -grumbles- You should be! (nears with hayforks)**

**me: -slowly backs away- Well, chapter 13 is ready, so happy now?**

**mob: Fine… for this time we won't burn you.**

**me: o0' Yeah…. well, please enjoy! And thank you all who reviewed! X)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it…**

**Chapter thirteen.**

'…_I miss something…'_

Dark eyes opened and gazed around lazily. A hand came up and lowered next to the owner's body. The coal-black eyes widened slightly when the hand felt nothing more than the soft sheets.

_Hinata wasn't next to him._

With the speed of lightning Sasuke turned around.

No Hinata.

Cursing, he sped out of bed and searched the whole room for a sign that she actually was there, not just disappeared in thin air.

Not in the bedroom.

Not in the kitchen.

Not in the bathroom.

Leaning against the door, the Uchiha slowly crouched down. His hands gripped his dark hair tightly as he cursed another time.

**Fuck.**

She hadn't returned…

Did she hate him that much now? He'd never thought she was even capable of hating… it couldn't be true.

No.

She couldn't hate him.

Could she?

He wouldn't blame her if she did… After all, he _was _assigned to kill her and Gaara.

He _had _sneaked into their room, like a perilous intruder.

And he _did _kick that 'husband' of hers. Quite hard.

**Goddamnit. **

What if she did hate him?

He couldn't really look her in the eyes anymore.

He didn't even pursue her after she had fled from all the emotions. He just sat on the ground and let her run while she was so sad.

He was an ass.

A stupid, foolish ass.

But he had seen the look in her eyes the other night. It wasn't one of hatred, it was a sorrowful expression, that had held the same emotions he had felt so long ago.

But not malice.

So, it just couldn't be.

And she promised.

She promised to return again.

A fragile person like her just needed some time.

And that, he would grant her.

Time.

He would wait.

He could always wait for her.

Until the end of days.

She would return.

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"Good morning, Kazekage-sama! Are you ready for your daily check-up?"

**Shit. **

It was that**…person** again.

Inwardly he shuddered at the thought when Hinata would've been so… _merrily._

Thank Kami she wasn't.

He would've killed her after two days.

The redhead turned to the galling nurse and shot a glare to her that could make a lion cry. But either she didn't notice it or she didn't let the death glare ruin her joyful… joyfulness. Her broad smile didn't disappear.

But the glare didn't fade, either. Quite the opposite. "Leave. me. **alone**."

She kept on smiling. "Not before I checked you! It's only the second-last."

Damn. She reminded him of a certain bushy- browed guy.

Gaara didn't answer, but instead turned away from the annoying, insolent woman after deciding to ignore her. Maybe she would disappear if he didn't acknowledge her anymore. But against all faiths, he could still feel the teeth-sparkling laugh.

"Great! Well, excuse me Kazekage-sama, I'll go now…"

'Finally.'

"…and get the needed equipment!"

'…'

"Just wait here, please!"

'…I'll kill her.'

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Neji huffed a little before halting.

Finally, he had arrived. That didn't take too long.

A warm breeze blew softly in his slightly sweating face, cooling it a bit. He wiped away the restraining drops and looked around.

So, this was Suna.

It had changed since he had come here for the last time.

Seemingly, the village of the Sand was more prosperous. The people looked more content, and the buildings had been done up. With Gaara as trustee, Suna had slowly expanded.

Neji smiled a little.

Hinata had been in the right hands.

Hinata…

He sighed. Where would she be at this moment? Would she be safe? Alive? That Uchiha better protected her at all costs, or else a certain angry cousin would make sure he would never see the daylight again.

But that wasn't his main problem now.

Looking around, the Hyuuga genius slightly sweatdropped.

'_Where the hell is the hospital?' _

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"Nnng..."

Hinata opened her eyes slowly and closed them immediately again. An agonizing headache terrorized her senses, smarting almost unbearable at the temples .

Flashes of yesterday came back.

Those eyes…

Who was it? It certainly hadn't been Sasuke, the voice had been even more masculine than his, and those black eyes…

They weren't Sasuke's, these orbs had held…

…darkness.

…Pure, black, engulfing darkness.

Maybe it all had been a dream.

Just a fragment from her own mind, a fearful nightmare…

Trying to ignore the pain that attacked her head, Hinata tried to sit up. Pushing her body from the mattress, she slowly looked around again, feeling quite light-headed.

She almost began to cry.

This was definitely _not _her room.

And it was so dark… just as those eyes.

It hadn't been a nightmare…

She needed to get out of here.

If that… _man _came back, then…

No.

Don't think about that.

Where was the door?

Breathing heavily, she jolted up from the mattress and felt her way through the room, in her panic not even thinking about her Kekkai genkai. Her hand touched a wall.

Finally.

Now, to find that door…

It shouldn't be too hard. From what she could distinguish, it wasn't a very large room.

Yes.

She would find that door, and then she would be safe.

Then she could go back to…

… Sasuke. Gaara.

Gaara. Sasuke.

Where would she go?

Gaara… she missed him so much…

But Sasuke said she couldn't go back to him. Yet.

Sasuke… She had felt her long-lost love for him return when she had seen his dark eyes, that night. She had loved him so much in the past… she still loved him, even after he told her he had been an assassin. But she really wanted to go back to him.

But she wanted to go back to Gaara, too.

She really didn't know what to do.

Tears started to form once again, pricking in her eyes as if threatening to fall when she didn't want it.

Sniffling, Hinata tried to stop them, but failed.

Drops fell on the floor.

Wiping the tears harshly away, she clumsily stumbled against a chair.

Inwardly scolding herself, Hinata hoped that nobody had heard it. Staying very still, she listened carefully if she heard someone coming, heart beating in her throat.

Nothing was heard.

She let out the breath she had been holding and continued her search for the door.

Her hands felt something cold and solid.

Bingo.

Clutching her fingers around the knob, she turned it softly.

The door opened with a creak, revealing more darkness.

Almost wanting to jump from excitement, Hinata took a step forwards, to her freedom that was nearing each second now…

…only to walk into someone.

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Gaara scowled.

How much more did he have to suffer?

He wanted to get out of here. He could feel he was already cured. Anger was raging inside him, the excitement to see a certain someone's blood ate his composure away.

He wanted to kill Uchiha Sasuke.

Torture him.

Make him suffer for taking his only love away.

Hinata…

He craved for her.

She had been his support, his friend, the only one who wasn't afraid for him. She had calmed him when he was enraged, held him when he needed to be hold, and talked to him when he wanted to talk. Without her, he felt as if he had lost himself.

He Longed for her. He needed her back. Safely within his arms.

A slight smirk appeared on his face.

Tomorrow would be the day to get her back…

His thoughts were interrupted by a slightly agitated knock.

Before the redhead could even groan at the other person to fuck off, the other had already entered, glancing stoically at him with white eyes.

"Kazekage-sama…"

Gaara glared back, not showing his surprise at who the person was. Damn, that family was really stubborn. "Neji…"

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The Uchiha couldn't take it anymore.

Six hours.

_Six hours!_

And she **still **wasn't back. Well, he had enough. If she had decided to not to return anymore, he wouldn't force her either.

He sighed.

It was clear she didn't want him anymore. His past had ruined all his chances to have her back.

How ironically…

Sasuke glanced around and his black eyes met the white flower, still standing on the desk.

He hated it.

Anger took the best of him and with one hard sweep he threw the vase against the wall.

Glass scattered everywhere, leaving the fragile flower bare on the ground with its thin stalk snapped. He didn't care.

Not giving the broken flower another glance, Sasuke turned and left the room seething.

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Hinata didn't dare to look up and held her gaze glued to the floor.

She could feel the temperature of the air around her descend, the dark aura of the person in front of her engulfed once again.

This was, without a single doubt, the man from yesterday.

The person with the dark eyes, who seemed to have captured Hell within his stare.

Hinata felt a large hand finding its way to her neck, closing rough fingers around it with a tight grasp.

"Trying to escape, are we?"

His voice sent chills down her spine. He must've felt it too, for she could almost feel his sickening smile. "That's not a way to thank me…"

She said nothing, body numb from fear.

He pushed her inside the dreadful room once again, stepping inside himself also.

Hinata still didn't dare to peek a glance at him as he closed the door behind him.

"Look at me."

She didn't budge.

"I said… **look at me.**"

Again Hinata shivered. That voice… it was blood-curling. The hand around her neck disappeared and forced her to look up.

She saw his teeth shimmering in the dark, like those of a wolf who was ready to devour its prey. That was exactly what he was…

… a wolf.

And she was the prey.

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_**End of chapter thirteen.**_

**A/N: And that was chapter thirteen!!! Sasuke was an impatient asshole, as always. And another cliff hanger… you'll probably hate me now.. :) But this is as far as I can go, because I have a big test tomorrow. - -'** **But I'll promise to update soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: -bows- sorry that it took so long!!! It was just, I was severely hesitating as to who I should use as the kidnapper of Hinata. I researched for a very long time, because I didn't think an OOC would be a good idea. Finally I have decided! –dramatic voice- Lol, just kidding. ) But I hope you think this is a fitting character… If not, I'll rewrite this chapter, and the following. But anyways, enjoy the chapter, and pleasepleaseplease review:3**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it!!!**

**Chapter fourteen.**

"Are you scared?"

Another step.

Lips were moulded into an appalling sneer. Teeth sparkled in the faint evening light that was shining through the ragged curtains, sending shivers over her body.

Heavily breathing, Hinata tried to move away. Slowly putting a foot behind her other one, she inched away softly.

Once again a hand was outstretched, fingers closed themselves around her thin neck.

"Now now, don't leave yet…" The hand tightened its grasp, making it harder and harder to breathe.

Her heart was thumping so severely in her abused throat, that it almost felt as if it tried to force its way out of her. With her body numb from fear, Hinata found herself captivated in the dark eyes once again, barely noticeable in the darkness but still piercing. She couldn't tear herself away, no matter how much she wanted it.

This man…

…who was he?

_What_ was he?

What did he want with her?

Why did he save her from another man's grasp, and subsequently kidnapped her, brought her to this ominous room? Although she didn't know this place, it held a sinister feeling, an obscure aura. It was almost as if Death itself lingered through the room, hanging around her and beckoning with a thin finger.

Suddenly her breathing stagnated.

While Hinata kept on staring into the eyes of the other, unable to look somewhere else, she realized it.

Those eyes….

…concealed Death.

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Gaara glared at the person who was standing in the doorway, looking as calm as ever.

Damn.

What did they want _now_?

That family really didn't know when to stop barging in.

… Annoying.

But before he could even inform the Hyuuga about the dissatisfaction, the other spoke.

"Kazekage-sama… How are you feeling?" Speaking slowly, Neji took another step forwards.

It was clear to the redhead that the man was beating around the bush for some reason. Uncharacteristic.

"Cut the crap, Hyuuga… Where did you come for?"

Although Neji was a little taken aback by the other's sudden get-to-the-point-question, he didn't show it. Squinting his eyes slightly, he answered in the same demanding way.

"All right, I'll get to the point then…" He paused before speaking up again, now looking at Gaara in an almost accusing way.

"I don't know for what reason you are still in this hospital, but I am going to look for Hinata-sama right now. Join me, or stay here and wait like some sort of coward."

Gaara felt anger rising inside of him.

A… coward? The last person who had dared to accuse him of something he absolutely wasn't, hadn't made it till the end of the day.

Almost wanting to shut the white-eyed man up for once and for all, he still restrained himself while thinking deeply.

Those words weren't as foolish as one would think.

Why **had** he stayed here? The longer he sat here doing nothing, the more dangerous he got. Anger had almost consumed him entirely, gnawing at his normal stoic appearance. He felt his old longing for blood again, desperately trying to come out of its prison to tear the person who had taken _her _away into tiny pieces.

He wanted to kill the Uchiha, but he had still waited.

He longed for Hinata, to touch her again, but he had still waited.

He was ready to leave this place and to take after his prey, but he…

…had still waited.

Why?

He knew the answer himself, although he didn't want to acknowledge it in the slightest.

Sabaku no Gaara, the once-called monster, the murderer, the person who almost everyone was afraid for, was scared.

Scared that the only person who had truly loved him, didn't love him anymore.

It was strange, really.

But now that the Hyuuga was standing in front of him, in a certain way accusing him of being a coward, he suddenly realized it.

It didn't matter if Hinata loved him or not.

He still loved her, and you should protect the person who you cared for.

That was what he had learned over the years.

It was time to go.

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Seething he stomped down the stairs, scaring a few bystanders out of their wits in the process.

Waltzing past Ikue, he ignored the strange look the old man was giving him and headed towards the exit.

Damn, he needed a drink or something.

Already putting his hand on the doorpost, he was suddenly stopped by a high-pitched voice.

"Mayumi-san! Mayumi-san! Pl-Please wait a minute!"

The Uchiha sighed very, very deeply.

'_Please _don't let it be _that _woman…'

He turned around slightly, glaring at whoever dared to stop him. A rather big-boned figure blocked his sight. He closed his eyes.

'All right, keep your composure…Keep your composure…'

With fast, raspy breaths, the woman stopped before him, panting as if she had run the marathon.

He almost wanted to snap at her that she should leave him alone for once, but before he could give the woman a piece of his mind, she spoke hastily.

"Mayumi-san… T-There is so-something you need t-to know…"

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Fearful pale eyes stared into perilous dark ones.

The hand had left her neck long ago, for she wouldn't escape. Not even when she wanted to. She had tried, though.

Yes, she had tried it many times.

But when she wanted to move a leg, extending a shivering hand, those death orbs had stopped her, silently threatening her with a horrible nightmare that would come to life.

Chapped lips quivered before parting. The question that had floated in her mind for a long time was finally asked, in an almost inaudible tone.

"Wh-Who are y-y-you?"

A chuckle was heard through the obscure darkness.

"You want to know who I am…?" Once again a hand was extended, caressing her cheek. She resisted the urge to move away from his dreadful touch as she tried to look him in the eye without a single trace of fear. Needless to say that it faltered as soon as he looked back at her with that predacious gleam.

The rough fingers rested on her cheek. "Are you sure you want to find out, Hinata-_chan_?"

Emphasizing the last word very slow and clear, he made it known to the frightened girl in front of him that he exactly knew who she was, mocking her with the suffix.

But even with this knowledge, Hinata still nodded. Although it was dark, she knew for a fact that the …_man, _if he even was a human being, in front of her saw it.

Another chuckle.

"I will tell you…. If you tell me when your boyfriend and husband will arrive."

Hinata gasped in utter horror. What more did this man know? Scratch that, what did he _not _know?

In her shock she didn't realize that the other leaned in, warm breath tickling her ear. "More specifically…. When Uchiha Sasuke will arrive…"

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"Kazekage-sama? Kazekage-sama?"

When there was no reaction, the nurse sighed tiredly. That man really was impossible. She didn't know how her colleagues had made it without pulling out their hair or asking for an early retirement. But it was long past visiting hours, so she had to let him and his visitor know that the latter would have to leave now. What was it with those white-eyed people anyway? They always came late in the evening, barging in like they had every right to.

Getting impatient, the nurse turned the doorknob. For now she didn't care about being impolite, she had enough. Opening the door, she came to meet with an empty room.

Gasping, the nurse waltzed through the entire space, looking for a sign that the Kazekage hadn't just disappeared in thin air.

After looking under the bed, into the kitchen, and even taking a peek into the bathroom, she really didn't know anymore if she should be happy that the man had left, or that she should be screaming in despair.

After she noticed the open window, she decided it would be the latter.

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Sasuke stared at the woman in front of him, a glance of disbelief in his eyes.

"I don't think I heard that clearly…"

Yuriko took a deep breath, before repeating herself. "There has been found a body in an alley, Mayumi-san… It has been told that he assaulted a young woman before another person came, killed him, and took the girl." She shivered a bit, as if she had seen it with her own eyes, before continuing. "Mayumi-san, the description they gave of the girl, resembles your… wife…"

The Uchiha had regained his composure. With a look that didn't gave his concern away, he spoke up. "Do you know what the person who took her away looked like?"

Yuriko nodded slowly, as if she doubted the information was truthfully. "Yes… It was said that he… had eyes that contained Hell itself."

The Uchiha slightly sneered. Yeah right. As _if…_ Well, he was too old for fairy-tales like that.

He glanced back at the woman in front of him. "Would you be so kind to take me to the place it happened?"

She nodded again. "I'll go and get Ikue-san… He knows the place better than I do. Please wait here, Mayumi-san." Getting back into her role as friendly hostess, Yuriko hastily walked away to find her husband.

Sasuke waited seemingly calm for the older man. He had learned many years ago that you should stay calm, no matter what the situation was. But no matter how much he tried, inwardly his emotions almost took the best of him, anger boiling within, concern eating his stoic ness away, guilt cutting right through his very soul.

Hinata…

If it had been her, he was… wrong in his assumptions.

Goddamn it.

He was capable to kill himself right then and there. His beloved flower had been taken away…

…once again.

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She just stared at the wall in front of her, not able to move a single muscle.

'Sasuke…'

What did this guy want with him? How did he know him?

She shuddered as his breath tickled her ear once again.

"You want to know… Hinata?" She could hear his demented grin.

"Since you're so eager to know… I'll tell you."

He pulled back and looked at her, black colliding with opal once again.

"I am Gen'yumaru… arisen from Hell itself."

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_**End of chapter fourteen**_

**A/N: Well, that was it. Hope you liked it. Personally I think it kinda sucked, but... well, it's like I can't write it otherwise. What do you think of Gen'yumaru as the kidnapper? For those who do not know who it is, his body is currently owned by Orochimaru. I won't tell too much, otherwise I would spoil the following chapters:) At first I thought of Itachi, but that wouldn't be very original. And Sai didn't seem like the fitting character. So I hope this is OK with you all! Please review! –pleading look- **


	15. Chapter 15

**Love at second sight.**

**A/N: -grins sheepishly- One month since I've last updated this story… I'm SO sorry! -cries out- I guess you can blame it on my lack of imagination for this story…-.- I think I deleted the chapter for four times or so. Hopefully I can make it up a little with this chapter… Anyways, thank you all who reviewed, I appreciate it very, very much:) 109 already, I can't believe it. I'm really glad that you like it! XD But I'm rambling on again, please continue and enjoy. :3**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto!! You can thank heaven for that… Don't know what would've happened if I did:P**

**Chapter fifteen.**

Dark shadows leaped through the nightly forest with high velocity, jumping from branch to branch without resting a second. A set of intense green eyes was illuminating in the dark, staring into the dark sternly. Another silhouette moved a few foot behind, white orbs glowing dangerously.

Not a single word was exchanged. They just continued their way to their destination, silence accompanying them.

They looked upon things completely different than the other did.

They did not like each other at all.

They could barely even stand each other when being in the same room.

But still they stuck together, allowed each other near themselves, for the single bond they shared:

The person they loved.

And so the two silhouettes moved further. Not knowing what to expect, but gladly accepting the possible consequences for saving their beloved.

Even if it was only death that would be waiting for them.

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She said nothing.

This person…

'…_Gen'yumaru…'_

The name echoed in her head for an eternity, filling her ears and mind.

Emptiness…

Dead.

That was exactly what the being in front of her was, she could see it in those blank eyes.

Just a hollow body: among the living but with no life whatsoever.

She felt a pang of pity coursing through her body, but waved it away quickly.

There was no one to feel sorry for:

This was nothing but a shell that concealed death.

Hinata wanted to laugh.

Here she was, being held by someone who was no longer human and seemingly wanted revenge for that fact.

Someone who could kill her without any remorse since he had no emotions or feelings.

She looked into his eyes. Fear began to consume her once again as Death himself seemed to stare back at her, hollow eyes moulded within the shadows and face concealed with obscurity, behind the layer of skin of the being that was towering over her right now. Sudden realization dawned upon her.

Nausea overwhelmed the girl, like a serpent slithering through her entrails, sharp needle-like teeth sinking into her heart deeply, as she came to the dreadful question that was set in her mind.

How could you kill a person who was already dead?

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Ten Ten sighed deeply.

Apparently, she had forgotten how to sleep.

Although her eyes fell closed once in a while, they shot open a few moments later as images haunted her, the faces of friends and loved ones blurring her vision.

She knew that Neji had gone to Suna for a mission. Shikamaru had told her this, yawning loudly and claiming it was a scouting-mission.

Call her a tomboy, but the weapon mistress owned plenty of female intuition. The scouting mission had been a set-up, a lie in order to deceive Hyuuga Hiashi.

Neji had gone to search for Hinata. Without even telling her, the bastard.

The only thing she could do was hope that he and Hinata would be safe soon. And kick the Hyuuga prodigy's ass when he would return.

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The Uchiha glanced around before his eyes fell onto a heap on the ground, crouched against the wall with his face down.

Casually walking to the body, he nudged it with his left foot. It fell over, now showing the sickly pale face. No other wounds were visible, except for the foam around his mouth. Seemingly he had suffocated, presumably in his own puke.

Behind him Ikue shivered; he had never seen a dead body.

Sasuke gave the dead man a once-over, eyes scanning the lifeless form for any possible signs, strange deviations that would give him hints and would lead him to the one who had done this.

His eyes locked with the empty gaze of the victim and finally he noticed something strange.

The hollow orbs were wide open in an expression of total fear, as if the owner had seen something gruesome right before he died. They were rolled back in the head so that only the white was visible. But that was not what had gotten Sasuke's attention.

Crouching down with his back turned to the old man behind him, he silently activated his Kekkei Genkai.

Perhaps his bloodline limit would show him more…

Tomoe spun around rapidly while red eyes stared intently into dead ones. One look already confirmed what he thought he had seen: in each eye was an identical black dot noticeable, so small that it was invisible for the normal eye. Looking even better it was showed that the black dot actually was a tiny hole. It was as if a needle had punctured the organ.

A sudden feeling of dread dawned upon the Sharingan-user.

'…_Where do I know that from…?"_

Lifting his hand, Sasuke grabbed his hair tightly in a seldom moment of desperation: he **knew** that he remembered this from somewhere…

He mumbled a curse as he tried to remember it, but his thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice. "Do you want to go somewhere else, Mayumi-san? You look as if you are not well…" A hand was suddenly on his shoulder.

The Uchiha spun around upon feeling the sudden contact. "I'm fine!" he nearly yelled. As he saw the old man backing away, he realized that the other only had wanted to help him. Opening his mouth to say something, he was stopped by the look of fear on the man's face.

"Y-Your eyes… Mayumi-san, w-why are they r-red?"

_Shit. _

His Sharingan was still activated.

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"Why are you looking at me like that?" The voice mocked her again, trying to lure a reaction out. However, even when she was afraid, Hinata would not let this man get her so easily.

"Why do you want to kill Sasuke-san?" Deliberately using the '-san' to delude the other, Hinata answered his question with a query of her own. Knowing the possible effects of her rudeness, she tried to overrule her fear.

The man still looked at her with the same indifference. "Getting impolite, princess…?"

The hand was suddenly back again, this time squeezing her windpipe even more tightly; oxygen was gushing out of her as she gasped sharply, earning only a tighter grasp as she was slowly lifted from the ground.

"I do not tolerate such behaviour of useless pawns…" Her own fingers clawed at the hand that held her in an iron grip, vision getting blurry as she began to see faintly double too. She felt the life slowly draining out of her, tears forming in her eyes as she was tortured with the thought that she, once again, was too weak.

'_Worthless…_

…_Weak…_

…_Useless pawn…'_

NO!

She would not let this man take her life away just like that, as if she were nothing.

She **was** something.

She was a shinobi.

Faint memories of a cheerful blonde evaded her mind, blue eyes shining with determination.

'…_That is my way of the ninja!'_

With her last powers she pushed bits and bits of chakra in her hand, suddenly striking the other in the stomach with all her force.

His grip loosened slightly, just enough for her to escape. Falling onto the ground with a faint thud, the girl scrambled up and fled away while taking heavy breaths, eyes darting everywhere in panic.

'Come on! Come on!'

The door burst open as she ran through the doorway, blindly looking around for an escape route. She felt blood leak through the corners of her mouth, trickling down her chin and dripping on the ground. Coughing, Hinata heaved and fell onto her knees.

'NO! No, get up!' With rasping breathings and heaving another time, she pushed her body up and stumbled further, trying to get away as far as possible from the lethal man in the room she had just fled away from.

Leaving a trace of red behind, the pale girl ran to a door that suddenly came into her view.

'Come on, just a little further… You're almost free!'

Pushing the door open, a cold wind immediately blew in her face, sending shivers down her spine. Not waiting to freeze to dead, Hinata ran into the darkness, too weak to even turn her Byakugan on.

'…_Freedom…' _

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He pushed the other against the wall roughly, ignoring the yelp of pain that escaped the lips of the old man. His Sharingan blazing, the Uchiha glared at the quivering form in front of him.

"You do not tell anyone you have seen this… Not if you want to make it until the end of the day."

Ikue nodded shakily, to afraid to even speak.

Sasuke sighed. "I appreciate what you and Yuriko-san have done for me and my wife… I have only more one thing to ask. Do. not. tell. this." While he repeated his demand, he slowly lowered his arm, letting the elder go.

Again, a nod.

The other smirked. "Thanks, old man." And with that, he disappeared.

Ikue slowly regained himself, straightening his clothes while he stared at the spot where the stranger had been standing mere seconds ago.

"An Uchiha…" he whispered to himself.

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**_End of chapter fifteen_ **

**A/N: That was it! Hope you liked it. I thought it would be nice for a change if Hinata would stand up for herself, and this was tthe perfect oppurtunity! XD Once again: I'm really, really sorry that it took so long. I'm terrible. –snifs- But I will try to update very soon again, since I've got a few ideas for the following chapters now:) Next time you'll see how it goes with Neji and Gaara.**


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